Cain's mounting problems

We’ve now seen how presidential hopeful Herman Cain responds to a crisis. First he growls at the media, as if it is their fault for uncovering information and asking questions. Then he denies knowledge of the incident. Then he says, oh yeah, he remembers now, but it was no big deal.

To think, just a few hours ago we were most concerned about Cain’s chief of staff blowing cigarette smoke on everyone in a campaign ad. Now the sexual harassment scandal, regardless of whether it derails his campaign, has given Americans plenty of reasons to stop and think hard about whether the former pizza executive deserves to be president.

This Washington Post blog offers a good take on the situation. When a reporter first asked Cain if he’d been accused of sexual harassment, Cain shot back, “Have YOU ever been accused of sexual harassment?”

Then he said he wasn’t aware of any settlements paid to two women who made such accusations. Later he said that, oh yeah, he now remembers he did pay a settlement.

Cain assures us they were false claims and that he “never sexually harassed anyone ever.”

These are the kinds of claims that are impossible to prove or disprove. The women involved apparently signed agreements that they wouldn’t discuss the settlements.

The problem, however, is that Cain and his staff didn’t prepare for this story to emerge. He appeared completely taken off guard and far too defensive. Rule No. 1 of campaigning: If there is anything in your past with even an ounce of substance that could emerge as an obstacle, develop a strategy ahead of time for confronting it.

But as the blowing-smoke campaign ad showed, Cain’s strength doesn’t seem to be strategic planning.