Cain Denies Sexual Harassment Charges, But Guess What Else He Denies

By Hazel Trice Edney

Al Teich/National Press Club

WASHINGTON (TriceEdneyWire.com) - Herman Cain, the only Black presidential candidate among eight Republicans vying to challenge President Obama in 2012, has surprisingly surged to the forefront – only to face sexual harassment charges that he vehemently denies.

But, yet another denial at the National Press Club on Monday also raised eyebrows. He said race has nothing to do with widespread angst against President Obama.

The atmosphere was hyped as members and guests at the Press Club luncheon awaited his response to the allegation that had surfaced in the newspaper, Politico. Cain’s tax plan numbers “999” colorfully emblazoned on the tops of the cupcake deserts belied the seriousness of the moment as a standing-room-only horde of media lined the club, cameras and recorders ready for Cain’s defense.

“Number one, in all of my over 40 years of business experience, running businesses and corporations, I have never sexually harassed anyone,” he said in response to the first question for NPC President Mark Hamrick. “Number two, while at the restaurant association, I was accused of sexual harassment – falsely accused I might add – I was falsely accused of sexual harrassment and when the charges were brought, as the leader of the organization, I recused myself and allowed my general counsel and my human resource officer to deal with the situation. And it was concluded after a thorough investigation that it had no basis.”

He continued, “As far as a settlement, I am unaware of any sort of settlement. I hope it wasn’t for much because I didn’t do anything. But, the fact of the matter is I’m not aware of a settlement that came out of that accusation. Per the article, two anonymous sources claim[ed] sexual harassment. We’re not going to chase anonymous sources when there’s no basis for the accusation.”

In a follow up question from Hamrick, Cain said he would not ask the Association to release any records to further “verify or shoot down” his version of the story.

“No, there’s nothing to shoot down. Secondly the policy of the restaurant association is not to divulge that information…As far as we’re concerned, enough said about the issue. There’s nothing else there to develop,” Cain said.

Concluding that conversation, Cain said, “We have no idea the source of this witch hunt.”

Politico quoted anonymous sources saying that two female members at the National Restaurant Association, where Caine was board chair, not only charged him with inappropriate behavior, but was paid five-figure settlements in an agreement that included their confidentiality and commitment not to publicly discuss the issue.

In his trademark humorous style of communicating with audiences, Cain, former chairman and CEO of God Father's Pizza, drew lots of laughter and applause during opening remarks, but has left open the door for further investigation into his denials of the accusations.

Only hours after the National Press Club appearance, he appeared to contradict himself in an interview on PBS: “I am aware that an agreement was reached. The word settlement verses agreement. I don’t know what they called it,” he said. Then he mention how small the settlement was, indicating that he did know that there was a monetary settlement after all.

The sexual harassment denial wasn’t the only denial from Cain. He said that the widespread discomfort with President Obama has nothing to do with race.

“I don’t think people being uncomfortable with this President has anything whatsoever to do with race. It’s bad policy,” he said to loud applause from supporters in the audience.

Cain made this statement despite polls, experts, and scientific research that have clearly exposed racism as the basis for widespread angst against President Obama from the very beginning of his presidency. Clear evidence and proof have included hate images, such as Obama drawn as a chimpanzee; death threats, and a record Secret Service security force that was established at the beginning of his election

In a report written early this year by race hate expert Mark Potok, “The Year in Hate and Extremism, 2010”, he reflected on President Obama’s tenure. Potok wrote, “For the second year in a row, the radical right in America expanded explosively in 2010, driven by resentment over the changing racial demographics of the country, frustration over the government’s handling of the economy, and the mainstreaming of conspiracy theories and other demonizing propaganda aimed at various minorities. For many on the radical right, anger is focusing on President Obama, who is seen as embodying everything that’s wrong with the country.”

Meanwhile, Fox News commentators and other conservative pundits came to Cain’s rescue over the sexual harassment charges. Conservative analyst Ann Coulter called it a “high tech lynching”, quoting Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas when he was accused of sexual harassment by Anita Hill during his Senate hearings process.

However, that defense will not stick given that White male conservative Republicans and Democrats have been held to the same scrutiny. Among those who have made national news due to alleged and/or proven sexual indiscretions are President Bill Clinton, a Democrat; New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Republican; New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, a Democrat; House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Republican; U. S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, a Democrat; U. S. Senator John Edwards, a Republican; and the late U. S. Senator Strom Thurmond, a Republican.

Cain’s Press Club visit ended with his singing a song at Hamrick’s request. He chose to sing, “He Looked Beyond My Faults and Saw My Needs.”