Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011

Herman Cain

Herman Cain's presidential candidacy was Tea Party sentiment incarnate. The Godfather's Pizza CEO turned motivational pitchman had never held elected office, which made him the perfect conduit for the right's antigovernment angst. The ideological heresies of his primary opponents forced restive Republican voters into Cain's wide embrace, and even as embarrassing gaffes and confusing flip-flops on issues like abortion roiled his campaign, the Hermanator enjoyed gravity-defying success in the polls and outsize policy influence with his 9-9-9 tax plan. None of that could save him from allegations of sexual harassment and a 13-year extramarital affair though, and Cain suspended his campaign in early December.