The rise and fall of Herman Cain

9.12.11

The rise and fall of Herman Cain: The withdrawal of businessman and lobbyist Herman Cain from the Republican presidential contest—only weeks after he had topped the polls nationally and in Iowa, the first contested state—is a stark demonstration of the way in which the American ruling elite makes use of scandals, particularly involving sex, to regulate its political affairs.
Cain announced the suspension of his presidential campaign on December 3, five days after an Atlanta woman confirmed publicly that she had been financially supported by him throughout a 13-year affair that ended early this year. This followed a month of media furor over charges that Cain had sexually harassed or assaulted as many as four women during his tenure as CEO of the National Restaurant Association, a Washington lobbying group.