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Howard Kurtz Grills Politico’s Jonathan Martin On Herman Cain Alleged Sexual Harassment Reporting – Update

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On CNN’s Reliable Sources Sunday morning, host Howard Kurtz gave Politico reporter Jonathan Martin a grilling worthy of Bobby Flay over whether the online paper had enough to publish its story on sexual harassment allegations against GOP frontrunner Herman Cain. The answer to that question was obvious, and gave short shrift to several more interesting questions that Kurtz touched on, but that didn’t quite connect.

Kurtz began by asking Jonathan Martin to discuss Politico’s story, and “what it didn’t contain in details.”

He ticked off some of the language from Politico‘s story, which contained somewhat general (but not vague) descriptions of the allegations, then asked, “Why publish the story then when you couldn’t answer the central question, what precisely is herman cain alleged to have done with these women?”

Martin’s response was to point out that their story was well-sourced (“half a dozen sources”), and has been corroborated by other news organizations, as well as the Cain campaign. As to the story’s newsworthiness, Martin didn’t get a single taker when he asked what journalist would not have printed such a story.

Kurtz pressed the issue of whether the report should have been published at all, questioning the “go or no-go decision,” and suggesting that “in a lot of news organizations, an editor would have said, ‘you have done some terrific reporting, you have great leads here, but you don’t have it.’”

Martin countered by pointing out that there was a level of specificity to the allegations they printed (“an explicit sexual overture”) that, while falling short of chapter and verse, certainly met the bar for newsworthiness.

There’s nothing wrong with Kurtz questioning Politico’s reporting, of course (that’s his job), but this appears to be a missed opportunity for him to bring his own expertise as a journalist to bear. Kurtz also questioned Politico’s decision not to print the names of the accusers, when he well knows that such a move would have been inherently unfair, given the legal gag that bound them, and the fact that the women (who are, presumably, not public figures) were not sources in the story. It’s also customary for journalists to exercise additional restraint regarding the identities of victims in sexual offenses.

Rather than ask whether the report should have been published at all (a valid question, but one that should have been quickly disposed of), news consumers would have been much better served had Kurtz asked Martin to explain why the report didn’t contain more detail. Politico‘s reporting indicates that they have more detail than they’ve printed (“In one case, POLITICO has seen documentation describing the allegations and showing that the restaurant association formally resolved the matter”), and Jonathan Martin indicated the same to Kurtz. “…we were dealing with sensitive, you know, sources. Sensitive information here, and so obviously we tread delicately when it came to that,” Martin said.

This, and other aspects of this story, would benefit greatly from some examination of the reporting process. Kurtz didn’t follow up, but my read on Martin’s response is that decisions on the level of detail were based, at least partially, on negotiations with Politico’s sources (I’ve reached out to Martin for confirmation).

Perhaps it’s a function of television’s dominance, where you can usually just see what people are saying, but people don’t seem to realize that print journalism relies heavily on a series of such negotiations, and they’re rarely simple. Most sources want to remain as anonymous as possible (if their information was easy to reveal, you’d already know it), while reporters try to negotiate as close to on the record as possible, which often includes trying to nail down as specific an attribution as possible (“a former board member” as opposed to “a source close to the situation”) to an unnamed source.

These negotiations are both invisible and self-evident to the reader. If a source is unnamed, or an on-the-record source is attributed on background, you can bet that the reporter tried, and failed, to get tighter attribution.

In the case of the Cain story, whomever it was that allowed Politico to inspect the document, and their other sources, likely insisted on a certain level of discretion in how the details were revealed. That’s what Jonathan Martin’s response appears to indicate, but if that’s not the case, and it was purely an editorial judgment, then that’s a different story. It’s possible the specifics of the allegations were overly prejudicial, although leaving those specifics to the imagination doesn’t seem much better.

There’s also a misperception among Politico’s critics that their report relied only on anonymous sources, and that all anonymous sources are created equal. Neither is true. The unnamed sources used were, for the most part, strongly attributed, and were supported by documents that the reporters reviewed, and partially corroborated (and pointedly not denied) by the Cain campaign in the report itself. Martin even confirms to Kurtz that Cain’s reaction was a factor in determining whether to publish.

There are few news stories that would not benefit from more detail, tighter sourcing, or smoking-gun documentation, but it’s important for media critics to reinforce the true boundaries of good journalism, rather than allow those who seek to discredit mainstream journalism move the goalposts out of reach.

Here’s the clip, from CNN’s Reliable Sources:


Update: I emailed Politico earlier today to ask about the decision not to share certain details. Politico editor Jonathan Harris sent the following response:

I think Jonathan’s television appearance stuck to the outlines we have shared with readers on the site.

We are not able to go beyond that in responding to inquiries about our sourcing and decision-making.

I recognize that is frustrating to people who quite naturally are curious and want to know more, and frustrating to us because our natural inclination is to share what we know, but it’s necessary on a sensitive story like this.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Farax-Shirwac/100001414842261 Farax Shirwac

    Cain groped a few people, so what say the conservatives..

  • Anonymous

    That makes him a Democrat now!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1572984371 Cindy Nowicki

    Tommy……You call THAT a “grilling?”….lol

  • Anonymous

    I’m still waiting for someone to tell us what specific ’sexual offenses’ Herman Cain is guilty of committing.  Can anybody provide links that will answer that question?

  • Anonymous

    Yet after a week and after  one woman asked her attorney to ask the NRA if they would let her come forward and tell her side of the story, which the NRA agreed to do,   he can’t say what Cain did.

  • JimmyTrackScorn999

    Whenever black conservatives complain about Herman Cain being a victim of “high tech lynching”, I remember how in May 2010 The Drudge Report tried to hype up a National Inquirer story about Obama having an affair in a hotel with Vera Baker.

  • http://twitter.com/WodkeHawkinson Wodke Hawkinson

    What exactly did Herman Cain supposedly do? We still don’t know. I can’t call that good reporting.

  • Anonymous

    Funny, he says he wanted to ask the candidate directly about the accusations but he apparently didn’t ask the women directly what happened.

  • http://twitter.com/WodkeHawkinson Wodke Hawkinson

    Many people wish the media would give Obama even a fraction of the scrutiny they are giving Herman Cain.

  • Anonymous

    Huh?  I check Drudge every day and don’t recall that, must have lasted about 2-days max.  Politico has had what, over 100 anti Cain reports in the past week?  They aren’t doubling down, they are going all in.

  • Anonymous

    But you don’t remember the NYT’s piece on John McCain having an alleged affair with a woman based on the uncorroborated  “feeling” some people had and that the NYT’s never provided any other evidence to substantiate the claim?

    “The New York Times’ ombudsman strongly criticized the newspaper’s insinuation this week that White House hopeful John McCain had a tryst with a female lobbyist 31 years his junior, nearly 10 years ago.”

    “The newspaper found itself in the uncomfortable position of being the story as much as publishing the story, in large part because, although it raised one of the most toxic subjects in politics — sex — it offered readers no proof that McCain and (Vicki) Iseman had a romance,” public editor Clark Hoyte wrote in the Times’ online edition.

  • Anonymous

    Politico- we heard what Clinton did with Jones, Lewinsky ,and Willey

    Tell us what Cain did.

  • Anonymous

    Well… back in the 90′s N.O.W. said that it was OK…..

  • APKay

    What Jonathan Martin and the other Politico reporters left out of their original story was that the parting agreement was reached with no admission of wrongdoing and no acknowledgment of liability.  The RA had to make that point in its statement this week.  Supposedly Politico saw at least one of the parting documents, so they should have included that detail.  Instead, Politico made–and continues to make–quite a leap that the payout itself is acknowledgment of wrongdoing and that’s not always the case in these matters. 

  • Anonymous

    Yes,why is the media whitewashing this.

  • Anonymous

    Exactly,why is the media covering for Cain?

  • Anonymous

    I love it! The same retards who were willing to believe that Obama’s birth certificate was a fake and death panels were real, are suddenly in love with evidence? 

    Priceless. You can’t make this up. 

  • http://twitter.com/Wacman89 Josh Williams

    The story isn’t the sexual harassment. The story is the fact that people accused him of sexual harassment and were paid to not talk about it anymore. When asked about it, the story became the fact that Cain changed his version of the facts like 5 times. The story was never about if he did it, it’s always been the payoffs and Cain’s inability to keep his story straight and answer directly to simple questions. After the initial story, Politico ran more stories about Cain’s changing story and emerging details about the actual dollar amount. Just because you want the story to be about the specific harassment doesn’t mean it has to be.

  • Anonymous

    What part of payoff don’t you understand?

  • Sally

    Right. Weiner groped no one and the GOP demanded that he resign. Vitter visits prostitutes and keeps his job, and Joe whatshisname is a deadbeat dad and gets some asinine award about being a great parent. Plus he is still in Congress. Don’t tell me that the GOP is some sacrosanct bunch of Christian men who respect women, and honor their wives, when the opposite is true. Yet they get no criticism from their party, and heaven forbid one of therm resigns from Congress or leaves C Street.

  • Anonymous

    LOL

    Poor bay- try to stick to the facts, child.

    Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Obama suggested weiner resign- those are hardy GOPers!

    Thanks for playing though!

  • Anonymous

    No child, what the media is doing is allowing the public speculate about all sorts of possible nefarious things he might  have done , ya know, like  the things that Clinton DID DO!

  • http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

    Will this be the Democrat Party platform fo 2012?

    Obama has failed to do anything with the unemployment but spend trillions on keeping his crony socialist bankers happy, his crony socialist unions in the dough, his crony socialist energy companies on the dole, and takeover one of the largest sections of our economy-healthcare. Any economic recovery there was, that can be debated, it was in spite of not because of.

    What is Tommy going to bring out for his messiah? The two dead cat bounces? The wars and strife throughout the mideast? That Obama carried on exactly like Bush was doing, yet was one of the decryers before getting into office?

    Again I must ask, is that Iceberg you carrying a little heavy there Tommy?

  • Anonymous

    You just made his point for him.

  • Anonymous

    Death panels are not real?

    Did ya tell Mr. Lib Paul Krugman?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDnvmOQDkkw

    LOL

  • Texan

    “My original bc doesn’t exist!” was Barry Hussein’s original story.

  • Anonymous

    No poor thing- the GOP didn’t demand Weiner resign- it was the Dems!

    Thanks for playing anyway!

  • Anonymous

    Did you just move to this country?

  • Anonymous

    But remember how the lib sychophants tried to cover for Barry by saying that a long form “did not exist?”

    What a lie those libs were telling!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Farax-Shirwac/100001414842261 Farax Shirwac

    Bill Clinton didn’t put himself at a moral high ground neither did Weiner, Cain did.

  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous

    No,they are covering it up.

  • ceeza

    Thank you… It boggles my mind that his defenders simply will not acknowledge Cain’s repeated lies over the course of the last week..

  • Anonymous

    No one has contested Politico on the facts.
    Those two woman won settlements and that was Plitico’s story.  It’s not their job to find out the disgusting details that came out of Herbert Cains mouth.  It would be nice, but 80,000 dollars of settlements paid out by a presidential candidate is enough story on it’s own.
    Sure we would all like to learn why, but it is ridiculous to think that these two cases should be kept secret until we do.

    The AP’s story of the third woman is different.  That is he said, she said, and that woman should face her accuser.
    The other two women are not currently accusing Cain of anything, they are just defending themselves from Cain’s accusations they were lying 13 years ago.
    They have no desire to relive the past but if Cain doesn’t keep his mouth shut they might be forced to.

    He should have just been straight from the start and said “Yes, settlements were paid to these two woman because they felt slighted but I didn’t feel I did anything wrong at the time”.

  • Anonymous

    Really, please provide the links to  where Weiner said he would be sending out crotch shots and Clinton said he would be getting oral sex from interns and philandering on the job.

    I missed their memos- as did their wives!

    LOL

  • Anonymous

    Prove it!

  • Anonymous

    Ah, tell us what he did.

    All America including CNN wants to know.

    Oh, you don’t know what he did?

    Then STFU!

    BTW, you acted inappropriately but I won’t say what you did, but everyone should know it was inappropriate!

  • proud2teabagu

    Anyone else notice the media using Cain to draw attention away from the Vagrancy Wall St movement. Swooning over that mess wasn’t helping their agenda at all.

  • Anonymous

    Why won’t you answer the question?

    “tell us what specific ‘sexual offenses’ Herman Cain is guilty of committing. ”

    You can’t!

    LOL

    Just like Cornball West when confronted couldn’t name a single law the banks broke.

  • Anonymous

    Why won’t you libs tell us what Cain did? What specifically did he do that was  sexual harassment? 

  • http://twitter.com/Wacman89 Josh Williams

    IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT HE DID! It was never about what he did. It’s about the fact that there were payments made. That’s it. I honestly don’t care if he did or didn’t because that has little to do with how he’ll govern. I do care that he changed his story multiple times and has handled the situation poorly. He’s also acting like reporters can’t ask him questions because he says so. That’s the part that matters. Politico, the “lamestream media”, and CNN aren’t accusing him of anything. They’re just reporting the facts.

  • Anonymous

    Why won’t you understand what a payoff is?

  • Anonymous

    Ah, he Didn’t make the payments and didn’t have a decision in making any payments and the NRA says that.

    Now answer the question- what did he do?

  • Anonymous

    Joining us late? 

  • Anonymous

    You proved it for me already.

    “Politico- we heard what Clinton did with Jones, Lewinsky ,and Willey

    Tell us what Cain did. ”

    The media is holding back on this one.

  • Anonymous

    He didn’t make any “payoff.” The NRA chose to enter into an agreement with the women, something the NRA says Cain had  no say in.

    Now answer the simply question: What did he do?

    If you can’t answer that, then kindly STFU!

  • Anonymous

    Yawn!

    Prove it.

    You did not!

    Politico said it realeased all the info it had- and that does not answer what Cain did!

    Try again!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_FSPIVAFYI672OH5NOKVRTEZA4U MadCharles

    Groping is a democrat resume enhancement.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_FSPIVAFYI672OH5NOKVRTEZA4U MadCharles

    Kurts and Martin might as well have been under the desk together. Kurtz had no follow ups and Martin keep saying the people need to know. Well jacka88es where were you during the Obama election ? Nothing about nothing Obama was ever heard.  You’re frauds, simple frauds. And the people know your frauds

  • Anonymous

    Please,go get a dictionary.

  • Texan

    Uh huh. A yr or more later Hussein suddenly “discovered” his “real” cert.

  • Anonymous

    Regardless of whether the Teapublicans want to believe the allegations, it’s just as important to remember that Cain totally f*cked up his response. Even though his campaign knew for TEN days that the allegations were about to surface, they were completely blindsided. They gave contradictory (and implausible) answers on the first day, then accused the “liberal media” of ginning this up before making accusations — later refuted — that the Perry campaign was to blame. 

    And as more potential problems have come to light, they’ve completely shut down, now opting for a Palin strategy of silence and deflection.

    And Teapublicans really believe this guy can handle a national crisis? He can’t even manage a lame scandal that he had TEN days to prepare for! 

  • Anonymous

    Answer the question!

    You can’t!

    hahahaha

  • Texan

    Do you think we should hang him, tar and feather him or just shoot him?

  • Anonymous

    I truly liked their remarkable sophomoric lies that other libs bought, such as “Hawaii has only short forms” or ” It is lost” or the fking Gov. who actually lied by saying he was in the hospital the day Barry was born and remembered him being born there!

    LMAO

  • Anonymous

    …and they all ignored the rape accusations against Bill Clinton.

  • Anonymous

    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hush+money

    hush money 
    noun a bribe to keep someone silent about something, especially to keep the receiver from exposing a scandal.

    It’s really not that hard to understand.

  • Anonymous

    The woman was given free reign by the NRA to openly speak, all gags were lifted.  She chose not to anyway.  She no longer needs her anonymity; furthermore, there were several people who have subsequently come forward claiming to be witnesses stating NOTHING happened – mountain out of molehill.  Mediaite chose not to report on any of those people.

    No lefty journalist reported on the rape charges against Clinton; the lefty media dragged Paula and others through the proverbial mud because they spoke out against Slick willy and has evidence up the ying yang.  but that was a democrat so the standard was different.

    There is no desceription other than “scum” for what politico did; they sealed their own fate and are now well known and entrenched in the liberal lefty side of “journalism” (in other words, they are no longer to be trusted).

    You cannot continue to have one standard for republicans and another standard for democrats.  The media has become a laughing stock, and deservedly so.

  • Anonymous

    I think you should nominate him and make sure he takes Michele Bachmann as his running mate.

  • Anonymous

    Thanks for making my case for me. You guys really are the best form of entertainment. You’re as smart as an ant farm and just as compelling to watch. 

  • Anonymous

    Poor Oscar- admits he can tell us what cain did!

    I’m so happy to see him admit he knows nothing about what Cain did.

  • Anonymous

    Cain lied, he touched her thighs!

  • Anonymous

    Edit.

  • bohratom

    The irony of this story is back in the 90′s when the main stream media had the same type of sources they all refused to run stories on President Clinton and the numerous women he had been with. It took a new social media site called “The Drudge Report” to spill the details. Here we have the main stream media playing the roll of drudge and it just goes to show conservatives that the bias is strong and favoring the left still in the MSM.

    Had this been a democrat like the former senator John Edwards you still would not see this story. But since its a conservative they devour it like a pack of sharks.

  • Anonymous

    Teapublicans’ values are highly flexible depending on whether there’s an “R” or a “D” after the subject’s name. 

  • Anonymous

    Really? I’d love to see the statement from NOW in which they say sexual harassment is “OK.”

    We’ll wait…

  • Anonymous

    Shouldn’t be too hard to include a linky then,Tina.

  • http://twitter.com/Wacman89 Josh Williams

     You’re right, he didn’t make the payments and he didn’t decide to make the payments. That’s fine. I’m not debating that. I’m also not debating whether or not he did anything wrong. I don’t know and I don’t care what he did. I would like to see him handle this better as a lot of the story is about how he’s handling it.

    You’re totally missing the point. I don’t understand why you’re so hung up on the part of the story that isn’t actually in the story. I’m not accusing him of doing anything. No one is accusing him of doing anything.

  • Pablo

    Weiner lied his ass off. That’s why he’s gone.

    As for Joe Walsh, have you seen anything from the judge in his case finding him in contempt? If not, the STFU.

  • Anonymous

    Tommy is fully aware of the stories, I don’t need to provide a link here.

  • Ralph

    “Kurtz also questioned Politico’s decision not to print the names of the accusers, when he well knows that such a move would have been inherently unfair, given the legal gag that bound them, and the fact that the women (who are, presumably, not public figures) were not sources in the story. It’s also customary for journalists to exercise additional restraint regarding the identities of victims in sexual offenses.”

    Their status as private citizens has no bearing– if Cain were in a business partnership with the brother of a Mexican drug lord, would that fellow’s name be withheld?  Nope.  It would central to the news.  Likewise, the characters of those who accused Cain is central to understanding whether the claims are valid.  Yet the names remain anonymous.  Very bad form.
    I do not recall Martin saying the women were not sources, although Mediaite says that’s why their identities were not revealed by Politico.  Even so, there are hundreds of news organizations repeating the story and any of them could identify the women but do not.  That’s a failure of the fourth estate which would be less troubling were it not for the media oligopoly that hemmorages red ink and crowds out competition that must show results.
    The women are not victims of anything, let alone a sex offense.  That’s a big issue.  By shielding the names, the media seems to imply that Cain was guilty of some sex offense when that is not the case at all.  Sex harassment claims are settled all the time to avoid negative publicity, and the women voluntarily agreed to remain silent.

    Throughout the week there was the implication that the women couldn’t speak due to gag rules in their settlements.  When the association freed them, they still didn’t speak.  That looks very bad for them.

    It’s closer to a real media lynching than Clarence Thomas because the media won’t even reveal the races of the complainants.  Because of their anonymity, the public is not reminded that there is a huge race dynamic at work.  More controversial journalism hasn’t been seen for a long time.

  • Anonymous

    Pretty sure both Weiner and Clinton took a vow to serve their constituencies after being elected….Pretty sure they didn’t say they’d be having cyber sex and oval office sex. 

  • Texan

    Thanks for making my case for me.
    ———

    You never made a case, fauxgop

  • Pablo

    IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT HE DID! It was never about what he did.

    Exactly, and everyone knows it. Which is why it isn’t a news story.

  • azgrandma

    The pattern never changes.

  • Pablo

    The fact is that Politico didn’t present any facts. 90 stories in 5 days and no basic facts.

    They printed story after story about Cain blaming Perry’s camp and Perry blaming Romney’s camp, never once mentioning that they know what the truth is and aren’t telling us.

    It is not a news organization, it is an activist organization.

  • Pablo

    If people need to know, why isn’t Politico telling us? Because they’re hacks, is why.

  • Pablo

    There are no allegations to believe or disbelieve, fleabagger.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_FSPIVAFYI672OH5NOKVRTEZA4U MadCharles

    test

  • http://www.facebook.com/frank.st.clair Frank St Clair

    Don’t know he groped people. Politico didn’t say. Don’t know who he did whatever he did with. Don’t know when it happened for sure. Do know Cain’s conservative, and now this is a “sex offense.” Does that mean anyone who makes a woman uncomfortable now has to be registered? 

  • Pablo

    http://tinyurl.com/7yqrzhx

    Based upon the information currently available, we can confirm that more
    than a decade ago, in July 1999, Mr. Bennett’s client filed a formal
    internal complaint, in accordance with the Association’s existing
    policies prohibiting discrimination and harassment. Mr. Herman Cain
    disputed the allegations in the complaint. The Association and Mr.
    Bennett’s client subsequently entered into an agreement to resolve the
    matter, without any admission of liability. Mr. Cain was not a party to
    that agreement. The agreement contains mutual confidentiality
    obligations. Notwithstanding the Association’s ongoing policy of
    maintaining the privacy of all personnel matters, we have advised Mr.
    Bennett that we are willing to waive the confidentiality of this matter
    and permit Mr. Bennett’s client to comment.
    As indicated in Mr.
    Bennett’s statement, his client prefers not to be further involved with
    this matter and we will respect her decision.

  • http://www.facebook.com/frank.st.clair Frank St Clair

    Because Kennedy, Clinton and Barney Frank are all Republicans known for their sexual misconduct, right? 

  • Pablo

    If Bobby Flay hears about this, Tommy’s gonna get his ass kicked.

  • http://www.facebook.com/frank.st.clair Frank St Clair

    And I remember someone upset ten years after a hair was on her Coke can. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/frank.st.clair Frank St Clair

    No, it can be about anything the left wants it to be. Next he’ll be accused of eating children. Whatever eliminates the competition. Ain’t it great how the left always tells you who they fear? 

  • Anonymous

    Settle a bet:

    I say that you’re a useless piece of $hit who couldn’t find your nose at the end of your face. My friend says that you’re a total propagandist dick who’s incapable of criticizing one of your team mates when he’s been caught in a lie. 

    Which one of us is right? 

  • Anonymous

    Oh, so two woman didn’t receive settlements from the NRA for allegations they made against Herbert Cain a dozen years ago, just like Politico reported?
    *facepalm*

    And Cain’s team blaming Perry WAS a fact, I saw it with my own eyes.

    This is why teabaggers are laughable, and always will be.

    They have no clue what facts are

  • http://impossibledreamsmedia.com Chris Jones

    Had the Cain story been about Obama it never would have seen the light of day.

  • Pablo

    Politico knows whether that’s true or false. Did they tell us? No. Did they mention that they know the truth of that matter; who their sources are? No.

    This is not how a news organization operates.

    Fleabaggers need a bath. And detox.

  • Pablo

    I am, dirtbag. Now stop lying.

  • Anonymous

    wow, a news organization protecting it’s sources..

    IT OUTRAGEOUS AND UNHEARD OF!!!!!

  • Anonymous

    Your guy’s a horndog and you condone it.More power to you.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Farax-Shirwac/100001414842261 Farax Shirwac

    As usual you ignore the point. “Family values” conservatives, that’s what you run on while Democrats run on other issues.

    That’s the difference. The cases are not at all similar. Continue to be ignorant and as usual put the ever so annoying “LOL” at the end as if you are actually laughing.

  • Anonymous

    Yes, quite unlike Bill Clinton and John Edwards.

  • Anonymous

    Another one making his point for him.

  • Anonymous

    If that makes you feel better,go with it.

  • Anonymous

    I would be.

  • JimmyTrackScorn999

    You’re right, Drudge was unsuccessful in getting the mainstream media to pick up the story like he did with Lewinsky.  The Obama/Baker affair went nowhere, unlike Clinton/Lewinsky and today’s Cain/Anonymous/Anonymous/Anonymous.  

    If the Obama affair story had a hint of truth, the press would have written hundreds of stories in the first week.  The reason Herman Cain is being hounded by reporters isn’t because he’s black, or conservative, or a black conservative.  It’s because many reporters believe the truth about something sex-related is being hidden, and sex-related things draw the attention of readers.  Personally, I think that Cain’s stupidity today is more interesting than is his lecherousness in the 90′s.If Herman Cain would stand up and give an honest account of what happened, the story would be in the news a few days and go away.  What is happening now is a bandage being pulled very, very slowly. 

  • Miki

    My questions is why did these “anonymous sources” including the accuser go to Politico????  Why didn’t they go to CBS, NBC,MSNBC or to the NYT??/  They went to Politico???  Very suspect to me….

  • RW

    I ask myself, who could have shown Politico documents from this settlement?  I doubt it was past Cain campaign workers.  I think it was someone currently affiliated with the NRA.  Some Democrat in HR or the legal department of the NRA.  They cannot be named for fear of losing their jobs or being sued themselves.  

    What is ridiculous are those who say – why doesn’t Cain just tell us what happened?  Why should he?  If Politico knows the story/details, print them.  Otherwise, Cain should keep quiet.  It is for them to answer all these open questions.

    All the while, people grow more weary of the liberal media.

  • Pablo

    I recognize that is frustrating to people who quite naturally are
    curious and want to know more, and frustrating to us because our natural
    inclination is to share what we know, but it’s necessary on a sensitive
    story like this.

    Bullshit. This is not a sensitive story. Report it or don’t.

  • Pablo

    Where has Herman Cain run on “family values”? Why do you lie?

  • http://www.scoamf.com/2011/08/hitler-realizes-obama-is-stuttering.html Unicon

    Did you notice how Jonathan Martin avoided all eye contact during that segment?

  • Pablo

    There’s no valid reason to protect their sources. Protect them from what?

    It is a violation of the Code of Ethics. http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp

  • Anonymous

    So you are ok with hordogs, and that is ok.

  • Anonymous

    123

  • Anonymous

    Dude.
    If Cain hit on Obama, I GUARANTEE it would have been a story.

  • Texan

    are you that lonely you have to conjure up names to agree w/you? really?

  • Texan

    f u you swore for days that weiner was hacked

  • Anonymous

    …and yet still no names, details, findings or anything substantial…

    Even as this…

    Kurtz also questioned Politico’s decision not to print the names of the accusers, when he well knows that such a move would have been inherently unfair, given the legal gag that bound them.

    …is factually untrue. One of the allegers have been released from her non-disclosure agreement. Yet still nothing.

    Keep puttin’ it out there!  Keep pushin’ it!  It has been a solid week of page one treatment with tripe that should have been on the gossip page, but nothing else seems capable of stopping Cain’s momentum.

  • Anonymous

    Martin is hiding something.  He was EXTREMELY defensive in that interview – his voice even pitched higher than normal, typical of someone who is afraid of being caught in a lie.  At one point, all he could do was sputter “$80,000!!” as if that’s a huge payout for two harassment claims.

    And look at how he flipped out on Kathleen Parker when she used the phrase “political hit job.”  It was clear that she was referring to what other campaigns might have done to get the story to Politico, but Martin took it personally and was cranking up a hissy fit until Kathleen said something like “calm down, madam, I wasn’t talking about you.”

    When Howie edged closer to the issue of how Politico was tipped off (by a rival campaign or otherwise), it was clear that Martin really didn’t want to go there.  How could he?  His own publication has been running stories about the cross-campaign finger pointing when they know perfectly well who tipped them off.

    I thought journalists were supposed to give us information, not conceal it.

  • Anonymous

    So in your world, if you are a hiring manager and a person being interviewed say he was fired from his last job, you just dismiss him. You don’t ask why or what the circumstances were, eh?

    LOL

  • Anonymous

    farax, we know libs have no values, so why don’t you list all the abominable behaviors libs will engage in so we can determine if we want them to represent them. You obviously have no values so just list what you engage in.

  • Anonymous

    lol…ok sherlock.

  • Pablo

    Then there’s alleged alleger #3, who has no agreement and made no complaint, but only “thought about” complaining. Why no name on her?

    Leftist hacks, that’s why.

  • Pablo

    Journalists are. Martin is a hack, not a journalist.

  • Anonymous

    A sexual gesture? You mean likeObama scratching his nose with a particular finger?

  • Anonymous

    You couldn’t be more wrong.

  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous

    No,like rubbing his wombshifter into a ladies backside.

  • Anonymous

    Thanks for the Update Tommy – clearly politico is feeling the heat for their horrific story telling.  The NRA has released her of all gag orders, and yet Politico still refuses to identify her, but they didn’t mind spilling a little bit of BS in order to undermine the black conservative man.

    Politico is NOT to be trusted EVER again; you should stop using them as a source for any reporting.  They pick and chose their own rules depending on their target.  That is bad journalism, indeed, it is NOT journalism, it is water cooler gossip and the poltics of personal destruction.

    Politico shot themselves in the foot with this story and they need to admit it, clean house, and read the ethics rules that Team Cain talks about.

    Martin is a well known hack who goes after republicans, digs dirt, and dishes BS.  This is just one more notch in his BS belt.

  • Greg

    Still don’t understand why they can’t detail the charges without releasing their names. The two seem to have no connection with each other. And leads to these easy questions of Martin which he seems to have real a tough time handling.

  • Anonymous

    Why do you feel you need to know her name?Have a need to harass someone.

    I don’t blame her for wanting anonymity with you and the rest of the lunatic fringe out for blood.

  • http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

    Do not have a response to ANYTHING that I stated? Typical leftist, have no argument, be flippant and irrelevant, thanks for the verification, you too WBD for your liking of that inane comment.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VTR7OAHC55DNHUAFUT6K2IJK2E Lemon Limey

    Cain’s accusers are two white women, both Democrats, who don’t like blacks.

  • Anonymous

    So you know who they are?
    Why are you hiding this information you LIBBY LOSER?

  • http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

    ummmmmm, I actually never believed the birther argument UNTIL I saw the lie they produced.

    Did you see it? It stated RIGHT ON IT, that it was an aggregate that there was NO actual birth certificate. Funny how truth just is blatant in it’s entirety. Not once did I give credence to it until I saw that “aggregate” compilation that was his BC.

  • Grendelpime

    Bobby Flay is, perhaps, the most over-rated cook in history.

    That being said, even his willowy fists of noodle-dom could take Tommy.

  • Anonymous

    I got tired days ago, arguing.

    Then I realized, the more we argue, the more they defend.

    PAY IT FORWARD.

  • http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

     How does that saying go?

    Nothing but the truth, the WHOLE truth, nothing but the TRUTH, so help me God.

    Leftists forget about that WHOLE truth thingy, they just leave out the relevant part!

  • http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

    What? Beginning to dislike immigrants now or something you………?

  • http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

     Are you a MORON?
    Drudge Report is NOTHING but a site of aggregate online stories. He does NOT write the news, he only covers what is on the net.

    NOW, if Drudge actually wrote articles, you may be right in your insinuation, but of course you are WRONG!

    If you need anymore help, let me know.

  • Pablo

    If the Obama affair story had a hint of truth, the press would have written hundreds of stories in the first week.

    Who looked into it? Who tracked it down? Who tracked her down? Who did the reporting on it?

  • Ralph

    A pollster at Perry’s superpac is on record as saying he saw Cain do something that he didn’t like and wouldn’t do a long time ago and even though he didn’t say anything about it then now he thinks it’s wrong and because of that Cain should not be president. 

    Another woman now also says that Cain did something that she didn’t like a long time ago too but she’s also not saying who she is either and like the Perry pollster she didn’t say anything about it at the time either.  So that makes what the other two women who won’t say who they are even more okay with regards to what they haven’t said.

    I’m beginning to agree that the country is headed toward default.  That’s the only way a story like the Cain scandal could ever become important news.

  • Ed Ross

    No it didn’t happen “obviously.” You have allegations. The fact that payouts were made is not prima facia evidence that the allegations are true. Politico is saying that because the allegations were made and the NRA settled the case with a payout that’s proof that the charges are true. This logic doesn’t pass grammar school logic 101. Until the women come forward and the American people can judge their allegations for themselves there is no story here. http://www.ewross.com/theyre_rioting_in_greece_theyre_occupying_america.htm

  • Anonymous

    Well, Frank, I fear that that is what we could be heading to.

    An accusation is NOT proof of anything and some women make spurious accusations either deliberately or because they can’t recognize the real deal or are hypersensitive.

    I’ve heard that there was a 45K settlement and that all the settlements were 5 figures.  I guarantee that if I had been harassed to the point of deserving redress I would never had settled for such paltry sums.  I would want to not only get damages but even more that the creep who harassed me got hit with public shame and condemnation.  Most business men would have their financial liability covered by insurance so money is not really a punishment under those circumstances.

  • http://www.facebook.com/tony.westover Tony Westover

    The leftist POLITICO blog only accomplished one thing from this obvious smear job: further affirming that they’re a leftist propaganda outfit. But everyone already knew that; hell, half of their “reporters” were on Ezra Klein’s Journolist.

  • Anonymous

    Meanwhile, back on the Dem ranch their VP Nominee is having an illegitimate baby with a paid illegally with campaign funds worker/mistress as his wife is dying from cancer and there is not even a hint of scandal in the MSM.

    Silly you to expect anything different. ;)

  • Anonymous

    On what specifically?

  • Anonymous

    “… this obvious smear job…”

    Prove it. 

  • Anonymous

    I’ve never seen a word you’ve written that wasn’t complete and utter self-serving bull$hit. 

    Just curious: are you this insufferable in real life?

  • http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

     Repeated lies, is THAT you accusation? That he did not respond as good as Clinton did to his RAPE charges? Is that it you POS?

    Cain has been accused of WHAT EXACTLY, why don’t you tell me you pedophile. I have heard you have been accused of pedophilia. How do you respond to people accusing you of raping children?

  • Anonymous

    Wow, you are only saying that because you fear the presence of an articulate successful black man.  You are nothing but a racist!!   Hey everybody, check this out!  What a racist!!  What a disgusting unevolved racist!!  Did you write this after you got back from your cross burning?  RACIST RACIST RACIST!!!!! 

    By the way, would you care to explain to everybody what a ‘hordog’ is.  Is it like a prairie dog?  Save your racist hate speech for your klan meetings,  you racist.

  • Anonymous

    Frankly, oscar_leroy the very presence of racists like you and your pal Widdle just make me sad.  One day we will all learn to live in peace and harmony but as long as there are unreconstructed racists like you and widdle still polluting the gene pool it casts doubt on the notion of mankind being the crown of creation.

    How can you and your racist pals even sleep at night? 

  • Anonymous

    Yes they did, but only because he was white like John Edwards.  As soon as a powerful black man appears on the scene like Herman Cain you can expect all the sheet wearing one toothed ignorant hillbilly racists like Oscar and Widdle to come crawling out of their lean-to shacks frothing at the mouth and unable to spell simple words. 

    Unfortunately, Brightmeadows, there is a moron-related racist human gene that is sometimes expressed and the proof of that is right here on this forum.  You can sense the racist stench online by reading comments posted by the likes of Oscar and Widdle.  It’s sad, really.  One hopes they don’t choose to reproduce.

  • rexhandsom

    Right you are…. there was an R before Billy Clinton’s name i.e. RAPE That
    he never ever denied, why because he would have had to face questions, as this
    charge was in the life saving position of [ the dam protection of TIME was up
    and saved his arse] No DNA IN THIS CASE….. but her word would have sunk the
    Teflon Kid…. AKA THE COME BACK RAPIST….

  • Anonymous

    Stony,  what Cain did was to make the unpardonable mistake of being born black.  To the likes of x-gop and his knuckle-dragging friends, that is all that is necessary.  You must understand that these people are born haters.  They look at the primer-spotted pickup truck and their dirt driveway and then see a successful black American man like Herman Cain and the unreasonable racist hatred wells to the surface like the gunk on their pockmarked faces.  There isn’t much you can do for a racist.  It’s like trying to teach a fish to climb a tree.  Don’t worry, most of them will get lost trying to get to the polls next November so let them babble.  

  • rexhandsom

    NOT true …. he changed nothing except trying to remember what the charges were
    or if any, as he never signed or saw any report, if any.. he was out of the loop
    on all of the investigation… no Blue Dress to refresh his memory.

  • Anonymous

    “You are nothing but a racist!!” — That makes no sense.  Sexual harassment is a crime. Period.  It has nothing to do with skin color. 

  • SYSPROG

    And as per usual you TOTALLY ignore the fact the both Clinton and Weiner paid for their indiscretions.  Vitter, Craig, etal just ‘asked forgiveness’ and of course, it was granted.  IOKIYAR.

  • Anonymous

    57nomad, thy name is projection.

  • Pablo

    I’ve never seen a word you’ve written that presents an actual argument. Are you aspiring to be Don Rickles in real life? If so, you’re failing. Don is entertaining.

  • Anonymous

    You never stated anything to respond to,just an irrational rant.Hence the big yawn.

  • Pablo

    They present no evidence against Cain, they’re hiding behind unnamed sources while lying about why they’re doing it and they did 90 stories on it in 5 days. Duh.

  • Keaton

    A black leader, anonymous accusers, and the liberal media brings the rope!

  • Anonymous

    In the business world I have handled a few sexual harassment cases and I can tell you when there is a payoff and nondislcosure it is serious.  The company wants to sweep it under the rug from a legal standpoint as quickly as possible.   The minute the victim signs the release the company and accused are off the hook.  If it were just a little misunderstanding it would have been handled through aribitration, the air would have been cleared and all would have been well.  We”ll never know, but if I were to bet based on my experience I would say the guy is as guilty as sin.  What make it especially bad is either he is stupid or arrogant because he did it more than once.

  • Anonymous

    well,  whenever I’m exposed to racists like you I have to fight down projectile vomiting.  Is that what you mean?

  • http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

    Are you a moron? It was taken from a porn scene! For some reason, leftists are not very good at the lies, they seem to always rely on something old and seedy to base their lies upon. You know, kinda like you.

  • Anonymous

    Did exactly WHAT more than once.

    One of the women has been released from her confidentiality restriction but so far refuses to share with us all.  I am perfectly happy to share in your hobby of speculating and speculate that she won’t because it would demonstrate the frivolous nature of her accusation.

  • http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

    Come on, you know how to write your favorite magazines name!

  • http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

    Remember, most of the states have been taken over by evil publicans which have now required you supply a ID to vote. You know, SOMETHING to prove who you are.

    2012 cannot get here soon enough!

  • http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

    hey arsehole, I had Obama’s back until I saw the actual BC, explain to me what an aggregate BC is, can you?

  • Anonymous

    Gosh you’re stupid.

  • Anonymous

    Sometimes the rants take up pages.
    You will get finger cramps scrolling past them.

  • http://www.facebook.com/tony.westover Tony Westover

    *LOL* Here’s an idea: how about THEY prove that any of this actually happened.

    An anonymous source told me that you like tofuck little boys. Now prove that you don’tfuck little boys. It’s true unless you prove otherwise.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_2UVIVT46ZFSPHFY6T6QHJIKQME Christine Lewis

    The ‘accuser’s’ lawyer stated, “Cain was not party to the agreement, nor did he sign the agreement’. Also the NRA accepted no ‘liability’. The ‘gag’ order was lifted, yet the woman did not want to speak out. The Iowa radio station who said Cain was ‘inappropriate with his staff’. The offensive comment?” Darling, could you doctor my tea for me” (i.e. honey and lemon). What a load of crap. 

  • Anonymous
  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_2UVIVT46ZFSPHFY6T6QHJIKQME Christine Lewis

    Were you there? Or do you just have a dirty mind?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_2UVIVT46ZFSPHFY6T6QHJIKQME Christine Lewis

    Love the ‘fourth estate’, I know what it means.. I wonder how many people writing here, have heard it?

  • shonangreg

    Yeah, just like with John Edwards and Anthony Weiner . . . Um, Keaton, you want to try turning on that organ in your skull and using it for a change?

  • http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

    Yes, because some idiot call WBD on the internet, it has to be true, you are CERTAINLY an idiot.

    Can you EVER keep your big mouth shut?

    I guess not!

  • http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

    Thanks for being the porno king, I guess every one needs one of those, huh porno guy?

  • http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

    Are you a retard or tying to make dems look bad?
    See, John Edwards and Weiner are sick individuals and their own parties stated this, you are now stating they were set up? Are you really that stupid? Must have went to public school?

  • Anonymous

    “This actually did happen, obviously!”

    This at the end of clip.  What a weasel way of putting it.  Tommy goes to great lengths to legitimize, explain and/or excuse the journalism of Politico, but nowhere does he represent to what lengths Jonathan Martin, as represented by the above statement, goes in his manner to lead the reader away from that reportage into speculation land; and in no way bothers to justify “what” the subject was of such importance that actually did happen, obviously.

    A ‘she said.’  That’s what happened, obviously.  Once more, a ‘she said’ the details of which can’t be provided.  Of course, nothing can be ever be proved for nothing was ever proved.  There are no findings, only an agreement.  it’s only ever been a ‘she said.’  And ‘she’s’ not talking.

    There’s no indication in the reporting at all of whether Herman Cain lecherously grabbed some tushie in an elevator (as most detractors intone), winked and said “hey, good looking,” or simply waved hello to a woman who thought to cash out of her job (and her retirement package) with a made up story. 

    Just that someone, somewhere, once said Herman Cain was naughty and got money for it.

    (To give indication it was the later, she was ushered out of her job by the agreement after Herman Cain was no longer with the Restaurant Association.)

    Nor is the press who got a hold of this story required to indicate which.  All it is is unsubstantiated tarnishment; and for a good many, that’s just where they prefer it to remain.

    To give an indication of how questionable is this metastory, or the decision to push it as it has been, here we have two (as judged by bigjournalism, so there’s that) dshonorable mentions as 2010′s most left-biased journalists – and Howard Kurtz is putting it to the other guy that he didn’t have it.

  • Anonymous

    None of us know what exactly happen, but there are 2 know cases of payoffs to keep Cain out of court.  I can tell you from experience that does not happen normally unless the plaintiff has a pretty good case.

  • Anonymous

    You have to be kidding me. MSM have dragged his proverbial backside through the coals. Get off the Fox News addiction and watch a few other outlets once in awhile. 

  • Anonymous

    Touche’  LOL

    Purveyor

  • Anonymous

    You are very adroit with facts and chronology.  Also, the hint of deprecation adds spice to your comments.  Ouch!

    Purveyor

  • PrezOworst

    allegations without facts.  Names, places, acts.  Politico did another hack job.  People who can but dont want to come forward.  Liberal filth.

  • Anonymous

    Amen to that, DK.  It is exactly one year til the 2012 elections.  One thing rarely gets mentioned and that is the genius of the men that wrote the constitution.  Knowing that the ultimate power of government was the power of the purse strings they invested the sole power to raise and spend money with the House of Representatives and required each and every one of them to run for election every two years.  2010 literally saved our country.  2012 will finish the work, until then just remember that we are tougher guys than they are and there is no way that group of pansies is ever going to get the best of us.

  • Anonymous

    You said: “payout itself is acknowledgment of wrongdoing and that’s not always the case in these matters.”  You have 3 choices in theses type of cases.  1. Go to court and let the court decide 2. Bring in a independent arbitrator 3. Settle out of court.  In most case the language in the nondisclosure insures there is no admission of guilt by the accused.  However, normally the reason for taking this route iin the first place is you know you have a snowballs chance in hell of winning the case. This is much like plea bargaining in a criminal case. The point is if you take the payoff route 99.9% of the time the person did wrongdoing.     

  • Anonymous

    Dirty mind.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t recall either oath saying anything about sex in any manner. I also don’t recall either of them talking about their devotion to God and claiming to be Associate Pastor’s of their church- which Cain does. Cain talks about being a devout Christian and his wife of 43 years and their devotion to each other. Sexually harassing other women and inviting them to come to your luxury apartment where you live while your wife lives in Omaha doesn’t smack of devotion to ones wife, marriage or church. Of course, there is also the fact that affairs are not illegal and sexual harassment of subordinates in the work place is.

  • Anonymous

    The embattled Herman Cain refusing to answer the questions that just won’t go away.

    Keep it up. It’s a brilliant strategy. It may well be all you’re running on soon Mr Cain. Even members of your own party are becoming more curious for you to release full details and disclosure.

    Nothing to hid?

    Why is then necessary to buy the silence of two women in separate incidents?

    Keep blowing your temper, nothing says Presidential qualities like that…

    http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-cain-temper-debate-20111106,0,2821598.story

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/06/herman-cain-sexual-harrassment-allegations?newsfeed=true

    The issue’s not going a way, without answering the questions, despite all your protestations…

    …Paying women off for Alleged Sexual Harassment in murky circumstances tends to do that.

  • Lollersk8s

    For Politico, sensitive=embarrassingly baseless

  • Anonymous

    Newsbusters has the Kathleen Wiley angle….just to show the bias and the standards that the media apply if the accused is a democrat (even a sitting POTUS democrat) versus a conservative black republican candidate.

    It is prety disgraceful.

    TC should write an article on the bias of the coverage, and how the media truly has shown itself to no longer be interested in reporting the facts to the public, just working overtime to destroy any republican, even if the so-called allegations are thin or non-existent.

    But hey – the politics of personal destruction are alive and well at Politico and abccbsnbccnnmsnbcnytimesetc

  • Anonymous

    Leftist online hit piece on the current non-Romney alternative for the Republican nomination for president.  I would be more likely to give credence to this reporting if some time had been spent in 2008 investigating President Obama’s ties to Bill Ayres and Bernadine Dohrn, or his ties to Reverand Wright’s Church, or his ties to Tony Rezko.  Nobody wondered about his sealed academic records, or sealed medical records. 

  • Ralph

    Yes, and the names would not be anonymous if Cain were invested in a business partnership with the brother f a Mexican drug lord.  Under that scenario, publishing the name would be essential to validating the story.  Yet the identities of Cain’s complainants from 12 years ago remain unpublished.  If the public cannot know who complainted, why couldn’t allegations that are completely fraudulent be trafficked?  The implicit message that the public does not have a right or need to know who a politician’s accusers are is probably the most harmful thing to democracy that we’ve seen in a while. 

  • Anonymous

    Fact: Politico is another lefty hack vomit site!!!! Real important stuff to read over there!!!!

  • Anonymous

    Non sequitur, RALPH!

    Are you really, in your mind, (not just political rhetoric) willing to compare thus infer a conclusion, the long list of “actual,” ethical/moral transgressions of Obama to an “alleged” act of sexual harassment?

    Let’s not forget who Rev. Wright and Bill Ayers were/are.  At the very least, our sitting President rubbed shoulders with individuals who have desired the destruction of their homeland, all their adult lives.  Whereas, at best, Cain’s accused of sexual peccadilloes that apparently did not rise to the criminal?

    Purveyor

  • Anonymous

    A Democrat?You mean a Bob Packwood type of Democrat?

  • Anonymous

    You don’t think stealing is wrong?

  • Mivogo

    Please provide the links that show where the Clinton and Weiner events weren’t consentual and Cain’s were. Get it, Stonepark?

  • Anonymous

    SNIDELY,

    Good Post!

    Question(s): Regarding RALPH… What is sealed agreement?  Seems a fairly simple concept, both sides agree to to keep something confidential?

    The anonymity of Cain’s circumstance is legally binding, an agreement where both sides (including the Restaurant Association) walked away rid of of a dilemma.  Moreover, this issue remained within the ambiguity of “Harassment,” and apparently not “assault,” or, there would have been Police involvement.
    Also, I suggest that Herman Cain would have been quietly, or, loudly terminated if there was even a hint of truth.  Frankly, he’s fortunate they didn’t fire him anyway, as that is PC world the Left has created.  

    Back to RALPH’s assertion:  Our President was able too, and still does, hide under various confidentiality agreements.  As for Ayers, Dorn, Wright etc., The President claims he met them through happenstance of sorts.  Or was it at a bomb making workshop?  Either way, RALPHS analogy is indeed “non sequitur.”

    In conclusion:  Today, more than ever, the crime is to be accused, not the resolution or finding of guilt.  That is a grossly immoral affront to our culture/society.  A regression of sorts.

    The real crimes are being committed by the press under the guise of a free press.  I absolutely cannot countenance the Founding Fathers meant freedom of the press meant freedom from ethical consideration?

    Thank you, your posts provoked me to think a bit more deeply on the subject.

    Purveyor

  • Pablo

    Why would you settle something by arbitration when you can settle it, to the agreement of all parties, without arbitration?

    Why do you not even consider the possibility that when one woman gets a quick settlement to leave a job that she didn’t want to be at by making an allegation that another woman might not see that and think “Hey, I think I’ll do that too!”?

  • Anonymous

    “The information available publicly regarding Kenneth Starr’s investigation leaves the National Organization for Women unable to comment responsibly about the validity of the allegations of obstruction of justice or suborning perjury by President Clinton.
    Based on public reports, it appears that Monica Lewinsky gave different versions of her relationship with President Clinton in a deposition and on tape to a co-worker. We will watch the evidence closely as it becomes available to ensure that Ms. Lewinsky is not (and has never been) coerced by any involved party, including President Clinton, Vernon Jordan, Linda Tripp and Kenneth Starr, among others. If credible evidence of wrongdoing by any party emerges, we will speak out and urge women’s rights supporters across the country to make their voices heard.”

    Bu the way, those “voices” were never heard even after the hummer was revealed. Now, I haven’t searched for NOW’s opinion on Herman Cain, but what do you want to bet it is far more indicting than this one?

  • Pablo

    Nonsense. Businesses do a cost/benefit analysis. Litigation is extremely expensive. If you can get the same benefit (which is to make the problem go away) for a smaller expense, you do it, period. It’s cleaner, it’s cheaper and it’s a lot less hassle.

  • Pablo

    So, who stole what and why aren’t they being prosecuted?

  • Anonymous

    American Thinker has an excellent piece on the vile media and their treatment of Cain versus their treatment of Obama (in this case, using the Solyndra subpoena as an example).  American Thinker is correct – there wwas a massive pile on towards Cain – the media accepted this girls version of the story hook, line, and sinker and then put out false information (despite TC’s claim that politico did good journalism, they did not….Cain was never bound by any confidentiality agreement; he was not a signature to that).

    This woman has been released of her obligations to remain silent after she violated them to begin with, but now, she wants to run away and hide, remain anony so the media can’t ask her the hard questions.  And the media is all too willing to allow her her anonyness while continuing to slander Cain with nothing.
    And again, Solyndra, Fast and Furious, Obama corruption is being ignored.

    Is it any wonder the public holds the media in such low esteem?  Pathetic bunch of democrat propagandists.  Politico owes Cain and the public an apology.

  • Anonymous

    He did? So you have sources that say he “groped” women? I just saw the interview with that hack Martin and he said it was all words that made them feel “uncomfortable”. 

    Plese share, because I’m sure Libitico would love to talk to your sources. 

  • Pablo

    Nope. They barely touched it, or didn’t touch it at all until Edwards admitted it.

    Before Edwards’s admission, The Times never made a serious effort to
    investigate the story, even as the Enquirer wrote one sensational report
    after another: a 2:40 a.m. ambush by the tabloid’s reporters at the
    Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles after Edwards spent hours in a room
    with Hunter and her baby; an allegation of $15,000 a month in “hush
    money;” a grainy “spy photo” of him with a baby.Murray Bromberg
    of Bellmore, N.Y., was glad The Times was not touching this seamy
    business. “I heartily approve,” he said. But everyone else I heard from
    over the past several weeks was either puzzled or outraged that the
    newspaper, which carried front-page allegations of a John McCain affair,
    was ignoring the relationship between Edwards and Hunter. John Boyle of
    Bloomfield Hills, Mich., said, “I hope you will find the time to tell
    me why this news story is not reported by your paper.” Some readers,
    like Bert A. Getz Jr. of Winnetka, Ill., were sure they already knew the
    answer: liberal bias.

    The source for this right wing smear job? 
    The New York Times.

  • Anonymous

    That’s before the lawyers took their 33 percent. In the end, it probably ended up being more like 25,000.

  • Anonymous

    Of course it is. But the federal government does it every second of the day. Do you have problems with their theft? 

  • Anonymous

    Just a thought:

    The Media has insinuated itself into “the Revolution,” to varying degrees.  However, I got the impression that the people at the protest sites around the country, were/are not all that thrilled by the Press?  Curious how the “Mob” always knows who is in, and who is out?

    Anyway, this lovely littel Revolution the Media/Press is helping to cook up; is it more like the French Revolution, or, a Russo-Socialist/Communist Revolution?  There was/is quite a difference!  I’d like warn the Media to be careful just how involved they become with “the Revolution,” as such tends to eat their own?

    Purveyor

  • Rio

    The National Enquirer broke the story in October of 2007:

    The story was ignored for almost nine months by the vast majority of American newspapers, radio and TV news organisations despite detailed accounts of the scandal in the National Enquirer and widespread coverage on the internet.

    The scandal was also covered by many foreign newspapers, leading to the bizarre situation in which many Americans were reading detailed accounts of the allegations long before their mainstream media news organisations were reporting on it.

    Many news organisations maintain that they remained silent because Edwards officially denied the story.

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/10/usa.pressandpublishing

    Ain’t that the kicker, “Edwards officially denied the story.”  I laugh.

  • Anonymous

    “Just because you want the story to be about the specific harassment doesn’t mean it has to be.”
    Unbelievable. I’ll bet you’re one of the liberals that say Clinton was impeached over a BJ instead of perjury. But in Bubba’s case we had a name, face, story and semen stained dress to corroborate the story. 

    Bottom line for me on this story is the women are free to talk now. I won’t believe a word they say until they come forward and tell the real story.

  • Anonymous

    What had he lied about?

  • Anonymous

    He didn’t have anything to do with the payments. That was the N.R.A and their council’s decision. In this case, they probably figured tens of thousands was cheaper than hundreds of thousands to litigate it. And considering the payments were so low, I have to think there wasn’t much of a case if the womens attorneys wanted them to settle that cheap. If you legitimately nail a CEO with the esteem of Cain, you’re talking MILLIONS in a court with a jury.  

    Of course it doesn’t matte to you whether he did it or not. But to most rational people, it’s the most important aspect, because it again, is sleazy politics. 

  • Anonymous

    That’s nonsense. In the real world, companies pay out simply to avoid the costs of paying the high paid lawyers to represent them in court. Right or wrong doesn’t have a lot to do with it. I’d say if the women actually had a case, they would have been advised by their counsel not to take such a paltry sum and let a jury decide it.

  • Anonymous

    No. They received severance packages. And 5 figure severance packages are the norm for a lot of companies. 

  • Rio

    You are spinning so much you must be nautious.  Attorney Kurt Schlicter, has a much different take on it, he might know as he is a civil litigation defense attorney.

    Here is an article he penned for the NYPost:

    Facts are Optional
    How sex-harass suits work

    http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/facts_are_optional_MGlu78c7RflvWKMH5eUuvM#.TrE7iecczFY.facebook

    He makes the point that “an enormous percentage of such claims are frivilous, if not flat out lies.”  And that, “Lawsuits are so expensive to defend that it makes good business sense to settle even the most frivilous cases.  And businesses do.”

    The entire article is worth a read, written from the perspective of one that defends these types of cases, unlike the lopsided reporting the majority of the press has been engaged in.

  • Anonymous

    “Bill Clinton didn’t put himself at a moral high ground neither did Weiner, Cain did.”

    Clinton and Weiner did not feel so compelled, because people like you only require morals of Conservatives.  Is that it?  Do they get free passes from you, because boorish, morally bankrupt behavior is your preferred normal?” 

    Thanks for clearing that up.

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    I find it interesting that Herb Cain believes the Perry camp was behind the story, but the Herb Cain defenders here seem to try to blame everyone else but Perry!!

    It’s like the wind was out of their sails, once Herb determined the scandal was caused by another Republicon … they didn’t know how to handle that and still blamed the media and/or Democrats!!

  • Big Taters

    Such short memories our stupid electorate has (I’m talking to you leftie/righties)

    We voted in Clinton in light of SEVERAL ACTIVE, CURRENT sexual harassment and infidelity allegations and he was a successful president according to many on the left and some on the right. He was even found to later have had sexual relations with a subordinate (that’s illegal and considered sexual harassment for most of us)

    I honestly think America deserves a pretty stupid president at this time as that would be the most representative of the people we have become.

  • http://twitter.com/Wacman89 Josh Williams

    I’m just gonna keep pasting this until someone actually reads it…

    You’re totally missing the point. I don’t understand why you’re so hung
    up on the part of the story that isn’t actually in the story. I’m not
    accusing him of doing anything. No one is accusing him of doing
    anything.

  • http://twitter.com/Wacman89 Josh Williams

    I’m just gonna keep pasting this until someone actually reads it…

    You’re totally missing the point. I don’t understand why you’re so hung
    up on the part of the story that isn’t actually in the story. I’m not
    accusing him of doing anything. No one is accusing him of doing
    anything.

  • http://twitter.com/Wacman89 Josh Williams

    You’re probably going to disparage this as being somehow doctored, but watch this clip and explain how he “changed nothing”

    http://www.mediaite.com/tv/jon-stewart-doesnt-appear-to-believe-herman-cains-version-of-harrassment-story/

  • Anonymous

     If you think the press is bad, how about the federal judiciary?  The link below is to a lawsuit filed by former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura being tossed out “for lack of jurisdiction”.  If one cannot seek redress of grievances for a constitutional violation, what good is the Constitution?

    http://dailycaller.com/2011/11/07/jesse-venturas-latest-anti-tsa-tirade-not-helpful/

  • Anonymous

    They’re not being prosecuted becasue lying and stealing are Republican family values.

    ________________________________

  • Anonymous

    We already did: George W. Bush. We cannot go back to that.

    The USA suffered it;s worst terror attack, fiscal ruins, unemployment, Global hatred, unnecessary occupations and preemptive attacks based on lies, and massive corporatism and expansion of the military industrial complex. 

    We have not recovered from our “pretty stupid president” and it will take years to dig out of this mess.

    P.S. If the right wing would stop acting like they are morally superior perhaps these sex scandals wouldn’t matter so much.

  • http://twitter.com/Wacman89 Josh Williams

    You don’t have to believe a word they say. It frankly doesn’t matter what they say. The story isn’t the harassment, the story is the fact that there was a settlement (one that he somehow had no knowledge of one minute and then knew it was in the thousands the next minute). That’s the only thing that was reported. No one is alleging that he did anything wrong. People are just bringing up the facts, which are that there was a settlement. That would be the end of the story, but because details keep emerging (and stories keep changing), we’re still talking about it.

  • Anonymous

    The media ran stories for 2 years about whether the president was a citizen or not. About voter fears that the new president was going to somehow change the 2nd amendment. Stories that the president was suspected of being a closet socialist. They ran stories about obama’s family. They ran stories about obama’s former pastor’s thoughts and ideas. All of this was “journalism”. Not in my opinion but ok fine. Now a story that is part of the public record is being run and it’s somehow being called a smear campaign. Does that add up to anybody? It doesn’t to me. This is a legit story. The fact that it embarrasses cain is not the point. This is part of the vetting process to become POTUS. If you can’t handle this level of scrutiny then you can’t have the job.

  • Dusty

    Anderson Cooper made Jonathan Martin look like a fool.last week also. The man is clearly grasping for a reporting job at all cost. Remembering Cain asking Martin has he ever been accused of sexual misbehavior….Martin walks off no answer. Poor Johnathan…..pizza delivery may be in your future…lol

  • Pablo

    Duuuuuuuh! Mommy! I made poo!

    Maybe they’re not being prosecuted because you’re a moron. Yeah, that could be it.

  • Big Taters

    You lack intellectually honest analysis if you think the right is the only ones who think they are “morally superior”. Just because the left doesn’t hang their morals on some religious book, doesn’t mean they aren’t just as “holier than thou” as the right.

    Just a hint, aside from the junkies and academics on both sides who LIVE POLITICS – most people realize that Bush hasn’t been president for OVER 3 years now and at some point you have to look inward.

    If you don’t think there has been an expansion of military industrial complex, massive corporatism, pre-emptive attacks based on lies, occupations and global hatred under Obama – you simply aren’t that observant.

    On a lighter note, I thank you simpletons for continuing to show yourself out here – it will serve as a testament to how a group of stupid people collapsed a country.

    FOX=MSNBC
    LEFT=RIGHT
     

  • Anonymous

    You missed the point. There is no legal proscription to having an illicit affair. The Cain case, unlike the others you so gleefully cite, involves ILLEGAL behavior.

  • Anonymous

    Howard Kurtz has shamed himself on Daily Beast with his columns about this; guess he took a look at himself in the mirror. 

  • Anonymous

    do you still hate hispanics?

  • Brincar

    Blazing Saddkles 2011…”where da white women at”?

  • Spermin Cain

    All of Herman Cain’s apologists now have bitter seed to swallow.

    Taste like … black walnut.

  • http://twitter.com/Kjmastaw Kevin Mastaw

    Are you the Farax Shirwac who is an administrator at Missionaries of Charity?  Maybe you should share that little indescretion of yours from a few years back before you cast the first stone?

  • http://www.facebook.com/ecoggeshall Ethan Coggeshall

    Wow, he was really tripping over himself there. If you watch when he gets put on the spot he is really jittery and uncomfortable. Im not a body language expert but he looked like his ass was against a wall.

  • Scotty

    This is like giving a machine gun to a chimp

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