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FNC senior political analyst Brit Hume on allegations that Herman Cain was accused of sexual harassment when he was the head of the National Restauran...
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Joining me now for more on this is -- the political hit job on Herman Cain and the president's latest round of executive orders Fox News senior political violence Brit Hume -- Good of you to be here what's.
Let's start with the that topic of the hour which is.
These allegations against Herman Cain.
Your initial thoughts.
Well my first thought would be that the state of the law is such that someone like Herman Cain even before it was a presidential candidate is exceptionally vulnerable.
To allegations even baseless allegations serious a Baptist minister at the time it was ahead of the National Restaurant Association which does a lot of work here in Washington.
And that cut that institution -- mr.
king himself simply couldn't afford to have a sexual harassment case even a baseless one because.
Of the potential scandal that could result from it.
So when you hear that the settlement was paid.
Companies do this all time.
Even in the case sometimes of baseless allegations simply to make it cases go away because they can't afford the scandal so it tells you nothing that a second that that a settlement was paid.
And this -- this whole this whole case this whole issue that -- in this news story today may be unfair -- on predicated on the other hand.
He has been struggling today to get his recollections straight about what he remembers and what he doesn't and that -- obviously doesn't help.
And going back fifteen years for anyone and -- circumstances never an easy process.
-- in the it is by the way irresistible.
Candy to the to the national media of the -- story.
Are sure in give us a sense of what you think what what is the running time for this.
Well.
To think about that one is that when he first came out and -- a blanket denial that even knew about a settlement.
I didn't seem very plausible in the for the day was over in an interview you did extensive interview -- -- it will air air later tonight on government session program -- 10 PM eastern time he does eggnog that he did know about the settlement.
That his he says that there was no lose the complaint was baseless and -- the settlement was in a roughly equal to what you pay somebody for severance.
No big deal the problem is -- every time he says -- specific.
About his recollection of the matter that could be subject to contradiction.
If someone came forward to do that so.
You know sometimes it's good to have specifics and have of -- full story told.
But on the other hand that opens -- door to contradictions contradictions.
Maybe they maybe falls too but they make news and that of course.
As we've talked about keeps the story alive and every day -- the story that we're talking about this Lou you and I and others.
We're not talking about 999 or something he would prefer to talk about so that is.
A problem.
And other.
Well another allegation and that for the coming from David Axelrod.
Over the weekend suggesting that Republicans are trying to sabotage the economy.
To benefit remember that turns out to be the nominee of the party and defeat this president.
This is -- are -- my optimism.
-- in vilification.
If not in terms of government -- strategy I mean this is.
A bizarre.
Accusation on the part of his senior political strategies.
Well on the in on a David -- he knows better than that.
But look the president is trying to build this case that says look come out there folks doing everything I can I -- the economy's bad and is not getting better -- enough.
But you can't say that I'm not shrine.
And look at these look at this congress dominated now he will argue by Republicans.
And I've put measures before them to try to to try to try to ease the pain that people are feeling and it won't -- them.
So now I'm acting on my own you see in the Republicans are standing in the way of all of this.
You know there they want to make the economy -- to benefit their nominee.
It is it is a charge that may find some some acceptance.
Among democratic voters and he needs to rally them as much as anything else because a lot of them haven't been very enthusiastic about it lately so you can understand why he's doing this I don't know that it will work.
But you can see the political strategy involved.
And as for a they Republican field of candidates.
Do you see any kind of definition coming here Mitt Romney still leads obviously in.
New Hampshire but we you know Herman -- statistically -- lead and a new poll by the University of Texas in Texas.
And lead in Iowa with.
Again sensibly no ground operation whatsoever.
Make sense of that -- where -- Well what I'd say about that is that there is a restive element of the Republican base.
That believes that Barack Obama is highly vulnerable and -- day you could succeed.
With the most conservative nominee plausible nominee they can find.
At the moment they have lit upon Herman Cain -- there's certain previously it'd been other favorites.
And at this point you know he's getting the benefit of that restless vote that restless element of the -- of the Republican electorate now.
Whether he can translate that popular feeling about him.
And devote some places like Iowa New Hampshire reacted to Arafat of people -- for you have to get into the -- you may have to do some advertising and all that remains to be seen.
But I don't think it's -- and you know that he can he can.
Carry his campaign to victory in those places without something of a ground game -- something of a more fleshed out campaign.
But he's done pretty well so far largely because a campaign has been mostly about debates and he's done well -- debates mountain Brit Hume thank you very much you've got live up next.
