@timjohnsonsJohnson James
AP June 17: Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain speaks at the Republican Leadership Conference in...http://tinyurl.com/6fl8tcm
AP
June 17: Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain speaks at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans. Bolstered by support from his loyal radio talk-show audience and tea partyers, businessman Herman Cain has revved up mainstream conservatives, rising recently to third place in a poll of voters in Iowa, the leadoff caucus state.
In his pursuit of the Republican presidential nomination, Cain's views on the economy and his fiery delivery have resonated with some in the GOP.
His campaign has also been marked by controversy, including his comment that he would not want a Muslim bent on killing Americans in his administration. Just this week, Cain accused comedian Jon Stewart of disliking him because he is an "American black conservative."
Already losing some of his cachet to tea party favorite Michele Bachmann, Cain, the lone African-American GOP candidate, is trying to win over a party that hasn't had a black nominee. Sidestepping race as an issue in his campaign may have helped him gain momentum in recent weeks, but whether he can turn vigor into votes will depend largely on voters' ability to look past his skin color and perceive him as a serious candidate.
"He appeals to people because he doesn't talk about race," said South Carolina Republican strategist Chip Felkel. "I think that too often, if anyone does go into that discussion, it's then used by other people to criticize them. I don't think that needs to be part of his narrative. He's a business person. He's an American."
