Cain "Jokes" About Electrified Border Fence

By Jeralyn, Section Elections
Posted on Sun Oct 16, 2011 at 09:43:49 PM EST
Tags: Herman Cain (all tags)

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Herman Cain, the newest Republican flavor of the week, told those attending a Tennessee rally yesterday about his response to a someone who had challenged his pro-border fence position on his call-in radio show. Cain said he responded:

When I'm in charge of the fence, we going to have a fence. It's going to be 20 feet high. It's going to have barbed wire on the top. It's going to be electrocuted, electrified," Cain said. "And there's going to be a sign on the other side that says it will kill you."

Today on Meet the Press, he said he was joking: [More...]

That's a joke. I've also said America needs to get a sense of humor. That was a joke, okay?

Is anybody laughing? Cain is headed to Arizona tomorrow, to meet with Sheriff Joe Arpaio -- the second such meeting in three months.

On abortion: He's not only against it, he opposes it even in cases involving rape or incest. "There are other options" he said today on Meet the Press.

On Face the Nation last week, discussing the Wall Street protesters:

[He] call[ed] the protesters “jealous’ Americans who "play the victim card” and want to “take somebody else’s” Cadillac.

Here's his op-ed in the New York Post on the topic.

Cain will be gone soon. Since no one took him seriously, no one bothered to vet him. That's coming soon.

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Cain "Jokes" About Electrified Border Fence | 33 comments (33 topical)

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Ugh. The fence. (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by Addison on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 09:37:59 AM EST

You can have all sorts of positions on illegal immigration and still realize that if a 200-mile wide desert doesn't stop people then a 10-foot wide fence won't. It's such a stupid idea solely for people who can't deal with abstractions and need a physical object to be satisfied.

What.... (5.00 / 2) (#13)
by kdog on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 09:53:13 AM EST

no moat with sharks armed with lazer beams Dr. Evil?

Wouldn't be nice if the presidential hopefuls were more concerned with the jobs leaving our borders, instead of this infatuation with dropping the hammer on huddled masses yearning to breathe free. Well, not quite free, but you catch my drift.

The problem is, KDog, that you lack (none / 0) (#14)
by Peter G on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 10:30:41 AM EST

a Republican sense of humor. After all, what could be funnier than a number of dead Mexicans?


: A number of bankrupt banksters? (5.00 / 2) (#15)
by kdog on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 10:41:26 AM EST

Oh yeah, Republicans and Democrats see no humor in that:)

He did suggest a moat, (none / 0) (#25)
by KeysDan on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 04:17:06 PM EST

but filled with alligators. Like 999, his idea requires a call to 9ll. Alligators will not do well in the Arizona climate and replacements would be an unanticipated expense. Otherwise, of course, a huge idea.


The man is (none / 0) (#26)
by Zorba on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 05:38:39 PM EST

dumber than a bag of hair. Although, probably no stupider than Perry- perhaps even just a wee bit smarter than Perry. Where do the Republicans find these clowns? Oh, I forgot- Cain was "kidding."


: Yes, he is a joke. (none / 0) (#34)
by KeysDan on Wed Oct 19, 2011 at 09:40:38 AM EST

If the Rio Grande (none / 0) (#31)
by Rojas on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 10:29:41 PM EST

was like the Grand Canyon Perry would have installed an escalator. That's no joke Peter.


Per CNN (5.00 / 1) (#19)
by smott on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 01:39:45 PM EST

Herman is now tied with Mittens.

>>>

Mitt Romney and Herman Cain are essentially tied for the lead in the race for the 2012 GOP nomination, with Rick Perry dropping to a distant third, according to a new CNN/ORC poll.
But with only 33% of all Republicans saying that their minds are made up, it's far too early to say the race is over, or even that is has boiled down to a mano-a-mano fight between Romney and Cain.
Cain has seen his support nearly triple, from 9% in September to 25% now; Perry's strength has been cut in half in that same time period.
There has been little change for the candidates in single digits -- 2- to 3-point swings for Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich and little or no change for Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum and Jon Huntsman.

Heh. (none / 0) (#1)
by Edger on Sun Oct 16, 2011 at 09:52:27 PM EST

Cain needs more cowbell?

Romney vs. Obama (none / 0) (#2)
by Lil on Sun Oct 16, 2011 at 10:16:57 PM EST

That's what we're looking at. Cain, who I mistakenly refer to as McCain all the time,out of habit, and the rest of them are toast. It's Romney-Obama. Even though Obama is not looking too good, I'm feeling better about his reelection.

I agree it will be (none / 0) (#3)
by Jeralyn on Sun Oct 16, 2011 at 10:22:02 PM EST

Romney. The rest are like cartoon characters.


Romney (5.00 / 1) (#6)
by lentinel on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 04:21:16 AM EST

kinda reminds me of Dick Tracy.


Romney is just as big a cartoon (5.00 / 0) (#9)
by Dadler on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 08:48:29 AM EST

He merely has better illustrators and caption writers.


Except (none / 0) (#16)
by jbindc on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 01:11:23 PM EST

He could easily beat Obama.

All depends on the economy.


I dunno about easily (none / 0) (#17)
by CST on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 01:15:32 PM EST

he could.

Of all the republican candidates I think Mitt Romney is the one who is going to be helped the least by a poor economy. He is the most likely to win anyway, but I don't see him effectively taking advantage of economic anger. He's the wrong candidate for that.


It doesn't matter (5.00 / 1) (#21)
by jbindc on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 01:46:59 PM EST

If the economy is still bad, the voters will blame the guy in charge and go with a new guy, because he can't be nearly as bad as the old guy. It's really that simple.


I guess there's only one way to find out (none / 0) (#22)
by CST on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 02:12:37 PM EST

but I think you are misjudging this.

If I'm un- or underemployed, Mitt Romney screams worse than the old guy. And adding insult to injury, he reminds you of the CEO who fired you.

People are very angry, and they are angry at the people who look and talk like Mitt Romney.


: True (none / 0) (#23)
by Ga6thDem on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 03:53:59 PM EST

but Obama is the guy they hired who isn't up to the job.

possibly because they are. (none / 0) (#4)
by cpinva on Sun Oct 16, 2011 at 11:42:41 PM EST

The rest are like cartoon characters.

cain is simply flogging his book, milking this for all it's worth. he'll disappear like the smoke from a small firecracker, before the first republican primary.


Are you sure? (none / 0) (#5)
by koshembos on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 01:05:28 AM EST

Most of the positions of the Republican Party are cruel jokes. Still, Reagan, Bush and Bush were presidents. I wouldn't rely on wetting.

And by the way, isn't Romney a cartoon character as well? How many candidates do we know who oppose their own successful plan (health care)?

I believe (none / 0) (#7)
by lentinel on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 04:22:56 AM EST

that Jeralyn was talking about vetting.

Then comes the wetting.

: I'd like to move straight to forgetting (5.00 / 3) (#8)
by ruffian on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 06:53:48 AM EST

So now they will vet? Now he's serious? (none / 0) (#10)
by BobTinKY on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 09:11:43 AM EST

Why bother vetting? The idea this man could be the nominee is ridiculous. If you're a Dem and care that Obama gets re-elected, let Cain talk and highlight the GOP insanity.

I am not sure I care whether Obama gets re-elected. My concern is that Elizabeth Warren become President in 2017. I think she is the only person who could do what it is needed to be done. To me, given that Obama, depsite his recent campaign required populism, will have only marginally better economic polices than whoever gets the GOP nod, is it better for Warren to attempt succeeding a failed Dem Administration or run against a failing GOP Administration (preferrably one headed by Massachusets Wall Street tool so that the GOP cannot run against the Bay State)?

I wish we were in a different place with respect to 2012 but, thanks to Obama, we are where we are.

Vetting. (none / 0) (#12)
by Addison on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 09:41:32 AM EST

Oh, and as for the "vetting" business:

Cain's positions are "Tea Party" positions. "Vetting" of those positions will make him more attractive to many base voters. I realize that the poobahs of the GOP will try to sink him, but keep in mind that in 2010 multiple "Tea Party" candidates got past the gatekeepers. I don't see "vetting" as some automatic process to weed candidates like Cain out -- it may aid him in securing anti-Romney status if he's able to evade and defend effectively.

Please, a Black Republican President ? (none / 0) (#18)
by ScottW714 on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 01:29:58 PM EST

That would require purging all their really good black jokes/emails.

A straw poll vote for Cain is nothing more then a good kick in the ___ to Romney; making sure he realizes the only reason they will get behind him is because there is no one else.

Well, I think the Republicans (5.00 / 2) (#20)
by KeysDan on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 01:45:44 PM EST

would go for Clarence Thomas, and they would get Ginny as an added bonus. Doesn't get any better for them. Clarence would have nothing to lose, since his sense of conflict of interest would not suggest that he resign from the Court to campaign.


I Would Love to See a Debate Including Thomas (none / 0) (#24)
by ScottW714 on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 04:09:32 PM EST

He would make Perry look like Einstein, von Braun, and Hawkings all rolled u into one.

I doubt that guy even understands the First Amendment.


Well, (5.00 / 1) (#28)
by lentinel on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 06:07:26 PM EST

there aren't many, if any, in D.C. who understand or care about that pesky First Amendment.


: Or in much of the rest of the country, (none / 0) (#30)
by Zorba on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 07:45:14 PM EST

either, apparently. Especially certain police departments and mayors.

A debate (none / 0) (#27)
by lentinel on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 06:04:38 PM EST

between Cain and Obama would be hilarious.

Alas, we'll have to settle for Romney v/s Obama.
A relative snooze-fest.

Cain (5.00 / 2) (#29)
by lentinel on Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 06:09:28 PM EST

could tell his "fence joke", and Obama could regale everyone with his hilarious "predator drone joke".

Cheetos and beer all around.


: And the Intrrmission... (none / 0) (#32)
by ScottW714 on Tue Oct 18, 2011 at 09:37:29 AM EST

...could have Bush looking for WMD's.
And the suckers dumb enough to go could line up hoping they drink a brewski with one of them.