Number One Reason Cain Should be Thanking Perry

Yes, Rick Perry’s memory gaffe in last night’s Republican debate will surely be the stuff of legend. In the way we remember Nixon’s sweaty, bumbling defeat to Kennedy in the first televised presidential debate, we will certainly be referencing Perry’s “Oops” in the political science classes of the future, but let us ignore for a brief moment that Perry so utterly dug himself into a dark, forgetful hole (and let us also try to forget for an even briefer moment that the frightening and disturbing hole consisted of threatening to eliminate the agencies of Commerce and Education and the…uhhh…Department of Energy!). Instead, let us direct our attention to the Godfather himself, Mr. Herman Cain, for if we do that we immediately realize that Cain should be setting Perry up for a lifetime supply of free pizzas in gratitude for deflecting the media attention away from Cain’s own gaffe in last night’s debate. No, I’m not referring to his incessant, obnoxious, and laugh-inducing harping of his 9-9-9 plan (which – for those of you in the dark – is NOT a sweet deal for three medium one-topping pies on football Sunday). Instead, I’m referring to his sexist comment made at the expense of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Watch the video or read the transcript below and you’ll hear Cain bitingly refer to Pelosi as “Princess Nancy.”

That legislation has already been written, HR 3000. And in the previous Congress, it was HR 3400 and what that does – it’s already been written. We didn’t hear about it in the previous Congress because Princess Nancy sent it to committee and it stayed there. It never came out…

With multiple accusations of sexual harassment plaguing Cain, now is not the best time to invoke tones of patriarchal condescension on national television. Assuming that his use of the term “princess” was deliberate (a heady assumption when taken in conjunction with the overall lunacy of the man’s campaign which leads one to think [hope?] there is very little deliberation or consideration taking place), Cain is undermining Pelosi’s skill as a politician not based on her partisan politics or ideology, but on the fact that she is a woman. This is dangerous territory for a potential presidential candidate who has never held public office – especially one who has already clearly demonstrated his disrespect for women.

Rick Perry’s laughable implosion is certainly worthy of discussion; however, let’s not ignore the more frightening prospect that was Herman Cain’s blatant sexism in last night’s debate. Cutting vital federal agencies such as the oh-what’s-it-called-Department-of-Energy is in reality not something to laugh at, and neither is Cain’s misogyny.