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JK LOL: Herman Cain Was Joking About An Electric Border Fence, Unless He Wasn’t

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» 43 comments

Herman Cain had an eventful Monday. Not only did he manage to kick off a pizza-related Twitter trend that successfully separated the fun-lovers from the fun-haters, he also had to deal with an unspecified security threat that made him late to a meeting with sheriff Joe Arpaio (“When you become a top-tier candidate,” he explained to reporters, “a lot of nuts come out of the closet.”) And yet he still found the time to make a great joke and/or a serious statement about an electric border fence.

You may recall that, yesterday, Sheriff Arpaio told CNN that Cain’s comment about installing an electrified fence along the U.S. border was surely a joke: “Oh, I’m sure he was joking. But it probably means that he’s taking it serious to do something at the border and stop the illegal immigrations.”

RELATED: Sheriff Joe Arpaio: ‘Electric Fence’ Joke Means Herman Cain Takes Immigration Seriously

Cain confirmed that his comments were indeed made in jest:

Let me first say, it was a joke and some people don’t think that it was a good joke. And it’s probably not a joke that you’re supposed to make if you’re a presidential candidate. I apologize if it offended anyone. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa.

Almost immediately following that clarification and apology, however, and after a reporter said that his statements “didn’t sound like a joke on video,” Cain added that “we’re splitting hairs here” and that he will “not apologize” for “using a combination of a fence and it might be electrified.”

So: Herman Cain is apologizing for a joke that he made about an electric border fence, but he will not apologize for what may not be a joke at all.

Later on, Arpaio met with protesters and shared his own thoughts regarding all things fenced and electric:

I have an electric fence around the jail; I have illegal immigrants there. I have illegals on the chain gang. Nobody goes after me. He told a joke!

This conversation is all like so much Hawaiian pizza: Unpleasant, confusing, and instantly regrettable.

Have a look at how it all played out, via MSNBC:

h/t Phoenix New Times via TPM

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  • Anonymous

    Please nominate this man.

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    Herb Cain wants to see illegal immigrants fry on the fence… including women and children!! Just proves he’s another heartless Republicon!!

  • http://gregingleright.weebly.com/ Greg

    His Great Wall plan far more workable… Both ideas the product of a keen and practicle mind… Unless you don’t think so… Cause then he’s just joking. Michael Scott for President.

  • Anonymous

    No other country in the world has open borders .

    All that’s needed is a border set-up like Duncan Hunter , Jr. ‘s district : A double fence with a road in between , patrolled often .

    Walk into Mexico and try to get a job, use their schools and hospitals , or just stay there and see how fast you’re locked up .

  • Anonymous

    No other country in the world has open borders = electrify our boarder to kill those trying to enter

  • Anonymous

    Keep it up Herman Cain. It’s going fantastically well. The base are tickled and falling softly for you.

    Remember to keep mentioning African Americans can’t think for themselves and get that Red Neck support.

    Don’t butter it up or smooth it over, just keep it unabashed and raw. You’ll still top of the pile until…you really say something irretrievably dumber than the the next candidate.

  • Anonymous

    I can’t seem to find the reference to electrifying, and killing those that enter illegally in GlovesDonahue’s remarks? Could you point them out for us? Unless, of course, your statement was designed make it appear GlovesDonahue was saying something, he didn’t say. You know, Liberal-spin. Was that your intention?

  • Anonymous

    Hi CaConservative! 

    Maybe I was just joking?  Or maybe I was being serious.  Or maybe I was joking.  Or maybe serious.  Joking.  Serious.  Joking.  Serious.  Joking.  Serious.

    Or better yet – Why not just ask the Big Dummy if he wants to electrify our boarder?

  • Anonymous

    Aw, come on. Don’t you all get it? It’s a joke. Right? It’s funny because an electric fence is something you would use to contain wild animals. I mean who would consider using an electric fence on real humans? That’s part of the joke. Don’t think of them as humans. This is a eurocentric joke. You must have that old school eurocentric humor. To old school eurocentric humor Mexicans aren’t even human so then you throw in the electric fence and… ha,ha,ha! And it’s funnier because a black man said it. What’s wrong with you all? Why aren’t you laughing. You don’t get it? Well, have you heard the one where the white man and Herman Cain share a giggle while contemplating the prospect that the white man’s ancestors might have owned Cain’s? LMAO, what a riot! Don’t you all get it?

  • Lizton

    To Republicans illegal immigrants (Mexicans) are wild animals and subhuman to be corralled and controlled like beasts.

  • Anonymous

    Good job walking back those comments Cain. Next time just come out and, in your best Triumph The Insult Comic Dog voice, exclaim, “Psych! I joke! I joke! I kid! I kid! I don’t think my joke is working. I must flee quick!”

  • One pissed off liberal

    You want us to ask Obama then?

  • Onne

    If nominated Cain would get even less of the black vote than McCain and certainly less of the Hispanic now.

  • One pissed off liberal

    “keep mentioning African Americans can’t think”
     
    If he were to say that, he would start picking up leftwing support.

  • Rper

    Herb Cain better enjoy the plaudits and slaps on the back of the GOP country clubbers because he is fast becoming toxic among non-whites.

  • One pissed off liberal

    Have you been to southern LA?

  • Emilie56

    What is it about Israel that they can build a wall while Americans cannot but can only think of either no wall or frying people?  

  • Emilie56

    What is it about Israel that they can build a wall while Americans cannot but can only think of either no wall or frying people?  

  • Emilie56

    Whites aren’t particularly thrilled with Cain’s ideas either.  It’s good we have a Cain.  Good to see that when it comes to who will be our President, we should go with anybody, (and it has come down to an anybody unfortunately), with a good idea, rather than the color of a man’s skin.  I do not care the color of a man’s skin and I don’t care if Mitt Romney wants to think the nearest water tower is a god.  All I care about and all any American should care about is if we can get a President who can make America better.  As I white I voted for Obama because I thought he was the man who could do that.  I never voted for him due to color.  I would have, at the time, voted for the man if he had been green.  Boy was that a mistake.  He has been ineffectual.  

  • Mr. Pennypacker

    I’m a Tea Party member and I joined the 99% movement because I was tired of the government and corporations causing this country to go down the drain. Both are responsible for the reason why we find ourselves in this terrible situation. I’m asking all my Tea Party brothers and sisters to join the movement.  

  • http://www.thecobraslair.com Cobra

    You were expecting a king or a messiah. No president is that. Blame yourself for unreasonable expectations.

    –Cobra

  • http://twitter.com/BlueSaboteur Rob Leon

    Crazy Cain is the Tea Party’s  Stephin Fetchin

  • bjbatgm.c

    Joke or not, I am not really sure that is such a bad idea….hmmm….

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

    First let me say…..I am all FOR “legal” immigration….Our country desperately needs intelligent, qualified individuals to contribute to society…

    That being said…..I wouldn’t care, in fact, would support, an electrified fence on the border!….No fence is high enough to keep out those who wish us harm..How many “crossings” will it take to bring a terrorist to our shores? If they aren’t already here…….

    Also, our economy can not support the number of illegals crossing into our country.

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

    Signs would be posted along the border, with warnings in various languages!

    Doesn’t prove he’s heartless…It proves he cares about the security of the USA!

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

    Before calling someone a “dummy,” learn to spell correctly!

    Border….NOT….”boarder!”….

    Unless you’re looking for someone to rent an apartment on the border!

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

    Tea Party members are too busy working, to join the OWS protests…

    The ONLY issue the TP and OWS have in common…….Both sides are/were against the bailouts!

    Why did it take 3 years AFTER the bailouts before the left became involved? Could it be the unions are gearing up the base for Obama’s re-election?….Now knowing, how well it worked for the TP in 2010!

  • Anonymous

    Another reason to vote for Romney.  He will finish the fence and the other candidates will pay them to break into the country.

  • Anonymous

    Another reason to vote for Romney.  He will finish the fence and the other candidates will pay them to break into the country.

  • Anonymous

    Another reason to vote for Romney.  He will finish the fence and the other candidates will pay them to break into the country.

  • Anonymous

    Another reason to vote for Romney.  He will finish the fence and the other candidates will pay them to break into the country.

  • Anonymous

    Another reason to vote for Romney.  He will finish the fence and the other candidates will pay them to break into the country.

  • Anonymous

    Another reason to vote for Romney.  He will finish the fence and the other candidates will pay them to break into the country.

  • Anonymous

    Another reason to vote for Romney.  He will finish the fence and the other candidates will pay them to break into the country.

  • Anonymous

    Another reason to vote for Romney.  He will finish the fence and the other candidates will pay them to break into the country.

  • Anonymous

    Cain will be harder to trip up than Bachmann or Perry. Romney’s upside is limited; establishment politicians are in big trouble. Our political, financial, and cultural elites, aka the smart people, have royally screwed up the country, and those politicians who pal around with them are in deep doodoo.

  • Anonymous

    Thanks Cindy! 

    Your a dumy to.*

    *Ironic grammatical errors.

  • Mr. Pennypacker

    Who’s Herb?   

  • Pit Boss

    I believe he said the signs would only be in English.

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    It’s a running joke amongst us Liberals here when referring to Herman Cain!! We’re making fun of the Palin interview she did a few weeks ago when she referred to Herman as “Herb” 3 times during the interview with Greta Van Susteren!!

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/ON4HHDYPEEDF3USYEBHZ7CJBCU potvin

    I think machine-gun nests would be much more effective.

  • Moosenuts99

    So, all those Bagger fits were on NON-WORKING days?

    Yeeeeaaaaahhhhhh riiiiiiiiggghhhhttttt

    You do know the retired don’t work…

  • Emilie56

    That was a metaphorical statement.  People expected better from Obama.  So no I personally wasn’t expecting a messiah or king.  There will never be a messiah.  He won’t even phone as goes an Israeli song I once heard.  

    I am sick of all the wanna-be presidential candidate lies.  Obama was supposed to, and the following is an almost quote, “Get the people the same health care as the members of Congress!”  Stop the lies I say to all of the candidates.  

    Look buddy, I can afford health care, a good plan too.  The health care he talked about while campaigning was never going to affect me.  I can keep my homes.  I have the funds.  Nothing too much will affect me one way or the other no matter who gets elected.  

    I am entitled though to dislike people who lie outright and then campaign again and pretend we have forgotten their lies.  (Obama)   I am entitled to dislike a rich candidate who tells the people that if they are suffering it is their own fault. (Cain)  Marie Antoinette suggested the people eat cake and that little mistake cost her one head right off the shoulders.  I am entitled to dislike a minister who is speaking for yet another candidate by putting down the religion of another candidate as a cult.  (the Baptist minister regarding Romney)  

    I am entitled to be disgusted by bad ideas and tons of lies.  I am entitled to being sick of a Congress that can do nothing for the people who elected them to the office.  

    Once again, my comment of the other day was not that I was actually expecting a messiah or king.  Just one honest man.  I had been hoping Obama was that honest man.  I discovered he was merely another politician and all politicians are the same color; the color of making sure they take care of #1.  

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