Herman Cain on Jimmy Kimmel Live: Has Never Smoked Pot

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 07:47:00 AM EST
Tags: Herman Cain (all tags)

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Herman Cain didn't cancel his scheduled appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Jimmy opened the conversation with "So, how was your day?" Cain responded, "“Well, all things considered, I’m still alive."

Cain said he and his team were surprised by Woman #4's coming forward Monday:

We watched it because we didn’t even know that this whole thing about "woman number four" was going to even come out, so that was a surprise.”

Then he said:

“At least it wasn’t one of the many that have the first name anonymous so now this one actually had a name and a so we watched to see what it was and who it was....We are dealing with it and tomorrow we’re going to have a press conference. We’re taking this head-on.”

[More...]

Jimmy asked Cain if his wife had seen the press conference: Yes ,she did.

Cain acknowledged his wife watched the speech. Cain explained that steam came out his ears when he heard the allegations and said there was “not an ounce of truth in all of these accusations.”

Cain said his wife is a Democrat but she doesn't always vote Democratic.

Cain said his wife called him after watching woman number four and said, "The things that woman said doesn't even sound like you." He then said his wife ought to know, they've been married 43 years.

He said the woman's account was totally fabricated, and his emotions ran a range, first anger, then disgust.

He said he's going to set the record straight.

Here's one thing people don't know about Herman Cain: I'm in it to win it.

You can watch at Mediaite here.

Only revelation: Herman Cain has never smoked pot.

The Washington Examiner is now reporting there's a woman #5:

A former employee of the United States Agency for International Development says Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain asked her to help arrange a dinner date for him with a female audience member following a speech he delivered nine years ago.

Donna Donella, 40, of Arlington, said the USAID paid Cain to deliver a speech to businessmen and women in Egypt in 2002, during which an Egyptian businesswoman in her 30s asked Cain a question.

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Herman Cain on Jimmy Kimmel Live: Has Never Smoked Pot | 53 comments (53 topical)

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Will Cain survive? (2.00 / 1) (#1)
by loveed on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 05:53:20 AM EST

Is it me,or do she look like Jenifer Flowers?
Also what boyfriend,would send his girlfriend to a different city overnight, to meet a strange man? I think there is more to this. Did Cain pay for the room? How could he upgrade it?
The whole thing sounds fishy. And with Gloria as the attorney,I have grave doubts.
Cain was never going to be the nominee.He's on a book tour for goodness sakes. Why all this coverage?
The country is in serious trouble, and this is how the media spends it time.

: That' "Gennifer" w/a "G." (none / 0) (#7)
by oculus on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 10:24:21 AM EST

Now there's a fifth?? (2.00 / 2) (#13)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 11:32:20 AM EST

"And after the seminar was over," Donella told The Washington Examiner, "Cain came over to me and a colleague and said, 'Could you put me in touch with that lovely young lady who asked the question, so I can give her a more thorough answer over dinner?'"
Donella, who no longer works for USAID, said they were suspicious of Cain's motives and declined to set up the date. Cain responded, "Then you and I can have dinner." That's when two female colleagues intervened and suggested they all go to dinner together, Donella said.
Cain exhibited no inappropriate sexual behavior during the dinner, though he did order two $400 bottles of wine and stuck the women with the bill, she said.

Maybe they were mad about being stuck with the bill?????

Rightfully or wrongly Cain is done. Everything he has ever done will now be viewed through the lens of sexual activity.

"Over dinner?" (5.00 / 3) (#31)
by Anne on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 02:54:22 PM EST

How about, over the phone, or by e-mail? How about not creating an environment that screams "date?"

How about just approaching her - as opposed to her friends - as one professional to another, saying, "I'm so sorry I couldn't answer your question as thoroughly as I would have liked; I'd be happy to go over this in more detail - why don't you call my office next week?"

Duh.

Pretty much every woman knows when someone is coming on to her - we're not stupid that way. But men who think they're so special they can fool women? Stu-pid.


: You ignore my point (none / 0) (#36)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 03:57:29 PM EST

And I have never understood how asking someone to go out with you could be sexual harassment.
And yeah, I know. Person in power over a lessor person...
I also remember many Democrats shied away from that after Clinton.
As to why he didn't approach her, I would guess she was absent and he didn't know how to contact her.
Double duh.

Ha. Can't abide a cheapskate. Don't (none / 0) (#21)
by oculus on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 12:45:25 PM EST

care about his "advances" unless they constituted sexual harassment.


: Yeah, I figure the ladies (none / 0) (#28)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 02:26:11 PM EST

didn't wanna pay. Can't blame'em. He had the biggest wallet. Maybe he was getting back at them for inviting themselves to dinner.
;-)
And I have never understood how asking someone to go out with you could be sexual harassment.
And yeah, I know. Person in power over a lessor person...
I also remember many Democrats shied away from that after Clinton.

"The boyfriend sent her?" (none / 0) (#2)
by kmblue on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 06:50:51 AM EST

Where does that come from? Got a link?

Cain is a strange man, I'll give you that.

As for Allred, I repeat, if she were a man, she would be considered an aggressive, media savvy advocate.

from her press conference (2.00 / 1) (#3)
by loveed on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 07:00:17 AM EST

It's so weird. If she told him what happen, why didn't the boyfriend confront Cain when this happened?
What is the relationship between her boyfriend and Cain? Maybe Cain will tell us in his press conference today.


loveed makes some strange comments (none / 0) (#5)
by shoephone on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 09:09:31 AM EST

but keep in mind that this is the same person actively supporting Jon Huntsman's candidacy for president -- Huntsman, who is as opposed to women's reproductive choice as anyone from the wacko right wing has ever been.


First look at her press conference (2.00 / 1) (#8)
by loveed on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 10:52:01 AM EST

from yesterday. Next look at the facts.

She no longer worked for the company( she was fired 6 months earlier). He boyfriend put her in touch with Cain. She went to another city. She stayed at a hotel, where Cain could upgrade her room.
I want to hear from the boyfriend.

Yes I am a big supporter of Huntsman, Everyone on this site knows this. I think he is the best person for the job. The conservative republicans are also starting to agree with me.
Also I have 16 grandchildren, I can't imagine my life without them. I believe in a woman's right to choose.For me I choose life.
Before the country was flooded with birth control
,there was a need for safe abortion. I lost a cousin in the 60's from giving herself an abortion. She had 14 children.
Safe but rare was the motto. Now it is used as BC. People are so irresponsible when it comes to sex. It's unbelievable that people are still having unprotected sex.

This country is in so much trouble. Women right to choose is low on my list.


So what if she "went to another city" (5.00 / 1) (#15)
by nycstray on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 11:41:56 AM EST

or that her boyfriend put her in touch with Cain. Or that she stayed at a hotel/had a room upgrade. Are women not supposed to do that?


If Huntsman is high on your list, then (5.00 / 2) (#24)
by Anne on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 12:58:03 PM EST

it makes sense that the right to choose is way down on your list.

But, about Herman Cain...let's look at your facts, shall we? Or maybe your assumptions and conclusions.

She no longer worked for the company - but when you're looking for a job, you make use of the network of people you know from when you were working. Or, are you suggesting that's not allowed, especially if you are a woman?

Her boyfriend put her in touch with Cain? So what? Are the people one's significant other knows off-limits? That's a new one on me. WOuld you feel the same way if it was the woman who put a man in touch with someone about a job?

She went to another city. Oh, my - I think I need the fainting couch. Here's a clue: when you're out of work, relocation is one of the options one has to consider. Would you be all over a man who went to another city?

And, unless she was supposed to sleep in a chair at the airport, going to another city meant getting a hotel room. Would you think twice about a man getting a room while in another city?

Why do you need to hear from the boyfriend? What's the boyfriend going to say or do that's relevant to the interaction between Cain and Sharon Bialek? Do all women who make allegations of sexual harassment have to have the seal of approval from their significant others?

And getting back to your comments on the right to choose, I can't make much sense of most of them - there was no need for safe abortions before the country was flooded with birth control? Huh?

As for you assertion that most abortions are used as a form of birth control: prove it. Go ahead, give us a link or a cite or a source that isn't from some right-wing propaganda organization.

Maybe, loveed, if there hadn't been such a push by judgmental religious zealots to deny birth control to women who want to be able to protect themselves, there would be fewer abortions - and certainly fewer unwanted, uncared for, neglected and abandoned babies in this country. But, wait - I forgot - the anti-choice, anti-birth control crowd doesn't give a rat's ass about the babies, only about punishing women for having sex, and making sure women stay firmly in a man's control. Got it.

And you know what? So what if some woman is irresponsible and chooses to have an abortion? What business is that of yours? And why is it your place to inflict punishment on them by denying them the right to make medical decisions for themselves?

Yes, Huntsman is the one for you, indeed.

Ugh.


Actually, it sounded to me like (5.00 / 0) (#26)
by shoephone on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 01:36:45 PM EST

the boyfriend did not put her in touch with Cain at all (which makes sense, since boyfriend was a pediatrician, and not a friend or colleague of Cain's) but that he made the suggestion that she contact Cain herself, based on her and Cain's past business rapport. Which she did. Not that it matters, anyway, because loveed's entire commentary is intended as a tut-tut scolding of that nasty woman who didn't know propriety and how to keep her place!

Just another winger who hates women.


I believe in a women's right to choose (none / 0) (#39)
by loveed on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 04:06:28 PM EST

I choose life. We need to respect other people opinion.
800,000 abortion a year is a lot. Besides unprotected sex.
This is issue is always used as a distraction. No one is going to take your abortion away. It is law. But they could take away your social security, pay attention to what's really going on in this country.
Women have always had to be careful, not to place themselves in uncomfortable and sometimes unsafe situation.
I would have terminated this meeting, when he upgraded my room. His intentions was clear.Maybe dating has changed. If I told my boyfriends or men friends, his associate put his hand under my skirt. It would be hell to pay. Also when she said stop,he did.
Things more important than this issue: economy,jobs,social security, education, health care,environmental,taxes,gas prices,food prices... need I go on.


: Oh I get it (5.00 / 1) (#48)
by kmblue on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 05:26:18 PM EST

loveed wants to know why the boyfriend didn't kick some ass. If he didn't kick some ass, then obviously the boyfriend or woman number 4 is lying.
So loveed wants to hear an explanation from the boyfriend.
What?

can you link (none / 0) (#4)
by kmblue on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 07:23:05 AM EST

to the "boyfriend sending her" is what I'm asking.
He told her to go? I doubt it. You are avoiding my question.

As for telling the boyfriend (and several of her friends) about the incident at the time, I would talk about too.

You expect boyfriend to confront Cain? How white knightish. I've told boyfriends to do NOTHING--that it was MY DECISION to respond, or not.

: Yes (none / 0) (#9)
by jbindc on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 11:06:20 AM EST

She said she went to him for advice on getting a job. She was staying in a hotel and she said he groped her and told her if she wanted a job, she'd have to go to his hotel with him. Now there's apparently a 5th woman that has come forward.
He seems like a real sleaze bag.

Romney and Perry... (none / 0) (#6)
by kdog on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 09:12:02 AM EST

now have staffers looking for roaches in Cain's garbage.

Never smoked pot in his life? (none / 0) (#10)
by Peter G on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 11:14:18 AM EST

Shouldn't that be disqualifying? What about the "passion and action of his time," etc.?


Such a (5.00 / 1) (#12)
by kdog on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 11:28:53 AM EST

lack of curiousity is a troubling trait for a leader in my book Peter.

Doesn't make you a bad person, but perhaps one not fit to lead.


Come on, man! (none / 0) (#14)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 11:35:31 AM EST

You aren't fit to lead because you didn't smoke dope?

What's next? You aren't fit to lead because you didn't rob a bank??


Not smoking dope is fine... (none / 0) (#16)
by kdog on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 11:46:03 AM EST

never, not once, in this day and age, to be curious to even try it and see what everybody is raving about?

Yeah, there is something wrong with you Jimbo.

My sister has never tried it, and though she makes one helluva sister and a fine human being, there is something wrong with her too:)

When you're fixing to be commander-n-chief of the war on drugs, I think you should have some clue about what it is exactly you wanna lock people up over.


He's 65 (none / 0) (#17)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 12:14:13 PM EST

He was 17 in 1963.... Back then smoking dope would get you jailed big time... Maybe he did what others did and decide that it wasn't worth the risk... Maybe he based that on what he saw happening to friends.

That's commonsense risk avoidance.

I love you bro, but you're just looking for something to beat him up over on this one.


This is not true. You cannot claim that ... (5.00 / 1) (#30)
by cymro on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 02:34:12 PM EST

... nobody took drugs during the '60's because of the risk of jail time. My experience of the '60's was almost exactly the opposite. Almost everyone of college age during the period 1966-1969, which includes Cain, smoked pot at least once or twice, because joints were always being passed around at parties or concerts.


Uh, I didn't say nobody (none / 0) (#35)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 03:51:48 PM EST

I said Cain.

And not everyone was in college setting around smoking dope or at concerts or at parties.

But thanks for explaining the world view of some people and how they got it.


You stated, without qualification, that ... (none / 0) (#49)
by cymro on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 05:46:20 PM EST

... "smoking dope would get you jailed big time. This is manifestly untrue. Millions of young people smoked dope during the second half of the '60's and were not jailed, nor did they live in fear of being jailed. The idea simply of being jailed for smoking simply did not arise. For that reason, your suggestion that Cain "did what others did and decide (sic) that it was just not worth the risk" is not a likely explanation.

Maybe you have some anecdotal evidence of some young people (perhaps including yourself) who were outside of the mainstream of the 1960's cultural revolution, but those people were surely not the majority of Herman Cain's generation. You cannot dismiss the entire era by claiming that I'm just talking about a few people "setting (sic) around smoking dope."

There is a world of difference between going out and buying dope from a dealer, and being offered a puff when a joint is being passed around at a social event. While the former may have been a behavior engaged in by just a few people, the latter was an experience common to many during Cain's youth. Maybe he missed it, but I highly doubt that he missed for the reasons you suggest.


: Sorry, my link above is incorrect (none / 0) (#51)
by cymro on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 06:25:56 PM EST

This article on Counterculture of the 1960s should have been linked to "era". Cutting and pasting on a tablet does not always work as expected.

Smoking dope (5.00 / 1) (#38)
by sj on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 04:03:15 PM EST

is more likely to "get you jailed big time" now. While there was a lot of arm waving in 1963 there was no DEA.


True (none / 0) (#41)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 04:14:33 PM EST

But there were police.


Really? There were police back then? (none / 0) (#42)
by sj on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 04:21:16 PM EST

It is still more likely "get you jailed big time" now than in 1963.


So???? (none / 0) (#43)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 04:28:19 PM EST

Absent a study of the various laws all I can say is....

Your point is?

Our drug laws screwed up? Yes.


Well, since you are demanding (5.00 / 2) (#44)
by sj on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 04:42:03 PM EST

that we continue this ridiculous conversation wherein you steadfastly throw out marginally related chum, I'll clarify: you were completely wrong in comment #17.

That's my point.


This was said in response to (none / 0) (#46)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 05:05:15 PM EST

why he didn't smoke dope.

He was 17 in 1963.... Back then smoking dope would get you jailed big time... Maybe he did what others did and decide that it wasn't worth the risk... Maybe he based that on what he saw happening to friends.
That's commonsense risk avoidance.

Completely wrong?

heh.


: yep (none / 0) (#47)
by sj on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 05:13:16 PM EST

I guess one could argue... (none / 0) (#18)
by kdog on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 12:33:17 PM EST

Obama and G-Dub and Clinton are worse, they damn well know better having tried it.

I could be beating him up over more obvious alleged failings, I'm taking the road less traveled.

Such as..."You're not rich? You don't have a job? Blame yourself!"...for not knobbin' me when I gave ya the chance. Allegedly.


Quite surprising you choose to (none / 0) (#19)
by oculus on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 12:43:53 PM EST

associate w/me!


Share Guiness and good times... (none / 0) (#22)
by kdog on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 12:53:34 PM EST

yeah, president?

Tell ya what, when you decide to run for pres. I'll spark up your first...it would be an honor:)

Seriously though, never curious as to what I rave about?


Yes, as you seem not to have the munchies (none / 0) (#23)
by oculus on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 12:54:41 PM EST

and have a full plate of activities each and every day.


: Oh I can munchie.... (none / 0) (#25)
by kdog on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 01:01:52 PM EST

with the best of them, you shoulda seen me go to town on a bag of swedish fish last night.
Staying active and genetic blessings just keep it from showing:)

Heh (none / 0) (#27)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 02:20:54 PM EST

"I did not have sex with that woman."

Can't believe you brought the subject up.

And Cain's starting point was worse than mine, a son of a southern share cropper, and yours.


: If some/all of the allegations are true... (none / 0) (#52)
by kdog on Wed Nov 09, 2011 at 08:33:55 AM EST

he's a creep at best, a sexual assault artist at worst. I think Clinton was a creep at worst.
A shakedown or political hatchet job is a possibility too...I put nothing past the players of this game.

jimakaPPJ (none / 0) (#29)
by Gerald USN Ret on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 02:31:39 PM EST

I bet you grew up saying "yes Sir," "yes mam," opening doors for ladies, and going to church every Sunday.

Me too.

MJ was something in "reefers" that you read about in paper back books that were about people in "big cities."

I never have used mj, and I never have drink alcohol. Of course the not trying alcohol wasn't because you couldn't get it in the South but because my father did use alcohol and quite a lot and I could see what happened to him first hand, as well as feel the effect on my back, not just read about it in a book.

There was also a saying back in those days that maybe is gone today. "Curiosity killed the cat."

If somebody said to me "you didn't try it just once? What is wrong with you?" I would have a very long list of things that I doubt that the person did or at least would admit to.


I grew up saying "yes, sir" and (5.00 / 1) (#33)
by caseyOR on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 03:41:13 PM EST

" yes, ma'am." I went to church on Sunday.I attended parochial school. And I had more than a passing acquaintance with weed and other attitude adjusting substances. I did all of these things in the 1960s. And I was not alone. Manners and churchiness are irrelevant here.

I know there are people who insist they never took even one toke, and I believe some of them. Still, people who were between the ages of 16 and 22 at anytime in the 1960s and did not partake at all, not even once, are rare no matter how many now make the claim.

Maybe Cain is one of the true abstainers. Maybe he's not. So what?


You got it (none / 0) (#34)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 03:42:15 PM EST

Except I smoked cigarettes and drank booze. Quit the cigarettes almost 20 years ago and stayed quit. I don't count the number of times I quit and didn't stay quit.

Still enjoy a Stoly on the rocks or glass of Cabernet.

It was in 1956 when I saw "The Man with the Golden Arm" at the base theater. Impressed me that drugs were bad and that you should stay away from them.

But I think we should revise our drug laws. The WOD isn't working and everyone knows that. But it has become an issue that the politicians use to impress the 10% who think that putting people in jail for what, basically, is a self destructive act.


Man With the Golden Arm (none / 0) (#37)
by shoephone on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 03:58:54 PM EST

was plain silly as a movie about jazz trumpeters, or as a believable indictment of drug use. But, anyway, there's a vast difference between smoking reefer in college and shooting up heroin everyday, isn't there?


I was 18 years old (none / 0) (#40)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 04:07:08 PM EST

And the movie may be silly to you, but it wasn't then.

And I don't think anyone can argue that any drug that alters your perception of reality can be good for you. Especially in the long term.

Should people be allowed? Yeah. I have long written that our drug laws should be changed.


Booze alters your perceptions and abilities (none / 0) (#45)
by shoephone on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 04:59:17 PM EST

a lot more than pot. And alcohol addiction kills. It gives you heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, neurological disease... Can't say the same of smoking pot, even it's everyday.


: To be fair, those little bits of burned stuff (none / 0) (#50)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 06:14:50 PM EST

inhaled into your lungs can be carcinogenic.

Man With The Golden Arm... (none / 0) (#53)
by kdog on Wed Nov 09, 2011 at 08:34:48 AM EST

didn't scare ya from the poker?


Why did you bring up noodling? (none / 0) (#32)
by me only on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 03:24:51 PM EST

'Cause that's all that everyone raves about.


Just a thought.... (none / 0) (#11)
by ruffian on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 11:25:19 AM EST

Maybe Cain should have tried to seek some other elective office first...I know that would not have been in keeping with the demands of his ego, but it would have given him a taste of electoral politics and also given all of us a chance to see if he really has any interest in government.

He will be out of the race soon and I will not miss him. Rick Perry might, however.

: He ran for the US Senate (none / 0) (#20)
by BTAL on Tue Nov 08, 2011 at 12:45:20 PM EST

in 2004