I am saddened and immensely disappointed in Herman Cain.
He provided our nation with the image that, if you work hard enough and trust God, you can be very successful.
He seemed like the all-American guy who worked hard, went to church regularly and provided well for his family. In my mind, he was the friendly neighbor who held regular social barbecues and invited all the men in the community to join him in drinking a beer while fishing down at the local lake.
I’ve always considered myself a staunch independent voter who relies more on a candidate’s actions than party affiliation. So when he first appeared as one of the Republican runners for the 2012 Presidential campaign, I was infatuated. He seemed bold and unafraid to step up, roll up his sleeves and get the job done.
My friends thought I was crazy and referred to him as “Herman Coon” and “Uncle Step n’ fetch it,” but I didn’t care. I believed in his dream for America and supported him 100 percent.
I listened intently as he described his infamous “9-9-9 plan,” a plan that would create a flat nine percent tax rate for all businesses and citizens. I became infatuated with his ability to give his supporters with a fresh outlook. I loved when he would sing “Amazing Grace” at his rallies. I knew without a shadow of doubt that Herman Cain was the right choice for me.
According to recent Gallup polls, Cain had a staunch lead with 30.9 percent to Mitt Romney’s 24.4 percent.
Things seemed to be looking great for Cain…that is, until the first scandal of sexual harassment broke. Us true “Hermanites” shrugged it off and knew Cain was too religious and too faithful to Gloria, his wife of nearly 44 years.
But when the third and fourth accusations of sexual harassment came out, I began to read the writing on the wall and realized that Cain might just be another politician.
But when I heard him say, “God called him to run for president” during a press conference, I was foolishly convinced that Cain was living a holier-than-thou life and these women wanted nothing more than a spot in the media. But, when the latest scandal broke that Cain had an alleged consensual 13-year affair with Ginger White, I was done. As a result, his campaign suffered, his numbers fell sharply and his image was eternally tainted.
On Saturday, before a crowd of nearly 2,000 supporters, Cain suspended his presidential campaign, but vowed that he would not go away.
“I’m at peace with my God,” he said. “I’m at peace with my wife, and she is at peace with me.”
For me, Cain will always be the first politician that I felt a personal connection with. He will also be the first politician to actually disappoint me.
I guess the world may never see an honest politician.