Former presidential aspirant
Herman Cain said he's still on a mission to defeat President Barack
Obama and urged conservatives on Saturday to support former U.S.
House Speaker
Newt Gingrich in Tennessee's Republican presidential primary on
Tuesday.
For those who still wish the Georgia businessman was in the race,
he said to vote for his fellow Georgian instead.
"Don't protest on Tuesday," he said.
Cain was the main speaker at the Tennessee Conservative Union's
annual Reagan Day dinner at the Crowne Plaza hotel and made his
comments during a reception for table sponsors before the event. The
news media was allowed in and able to ask questions as well as
mingle with the group.
Cain said Gingrich will "do better" than people in Tennessee
think, although he was careful to say he was not predicting Gingrich
would win the state.
Asked how he would do in nine other states that are part of the
Super Tuesday contests, Cain said assuredly: "He will win Georgia.
I've done a lot of work in Georgia."
He said he believes Gingrich will do well in other states, too.
"As Yogi Berra said, 'It's not over till it's over,' " Cain said,
referring to the famous baseball player's quote.
Cain was asked to comment on state Sen.
Stacey Campfield's announcement on Saturday that he was resigning as
co-chairman of the Gingrich campaign in Tennessee and throwing his
support to
Rick Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania.
"People change," Cain said.
Cain, who dropped out of the race after accusations emerged that
he sexually harassed multiple women, also was asked why people still
believe in his cause.
"I have something to say," he replied, and then launched into a
theme that it's important to get the nation back on track from where
it's heading economically.
"People love 9-9-9," he said, referring to his plan to replace
the complex federal tax code with a three-part system. He was
literally to receive an ax from the Tennessee Conservative Union at
the dinner for his position on taxes, said Lloyd Daugherty, TCU
chairman.
Lots of Republicans were at the event and were table sponsors.
Ray H. Jenkins, chairman of the Knox County Republican Party, was in
attendance and commented, "I'm glad to see so many good conservative
Republicans." Republican officeholders and candidates also attended.
Cain arrived in a bus promoting Cain's Solutions Revolution. He
got out putting on his famous black cowboy hat. Then he started
greeting hotel guests standing outside with, "How's everybody?"
There also was a Gingrich bus touting Newt2012. Gingrich signs
were along the midway on Summit Hill Drive, and eventually Santorum
supporters, including Anderson County Commissioner Zach Bates of
Lake City, also put out signs for their candidate and waved them at
hotel guests and cars.
Among those at the dinner were Gingrich's daughter Jackie
Cushman; his half-brother, Randy McPherson of Harrisburg, Pa.; and
former U.S. Sen. Bob Smith of New Hampshire.
Smith said he had been traveling in Tennessee as a Gingrich
surrogate.
"I have served with Newt in the House and Santorum in the Senate,
and I'm for Newt," he said. "We need someone who is firm and in
control. I've seen Rick walk away from some issues. We need strong
leadership."
Gingrich won a Southern Conservative Caucus vote taken at the
event. He had 82 votes to 73 for Santorum, 24 for Ron Paul and 23
for Mitt Romney. Fourteen in attendance were undecided.
This
past weekend, former presidential candidate Herman Cain was in East
Tennessee for a political event supporting Newt Gingrich. While here,
Mr. Cain wanted to get together and talk a little about local politics
and pick up a few pointers. Of course, I was glad to obliged. You all
know that's not true.