And Here Comes Herman Cain, Sure, Why Not
It was probably inevitable that the Trump administration would find some way to reintroduce America to Herman Cain. The former Godfather’s Pizza CEO and 2012 presidential candidate stopped by the White House on Thursday to discuss a position on the Federal Reserve Board. When asked for a comment by the Washington Post, Cain said that “9-9-9” is now “none, none, none,” a reference to his 2012 tax plan that called for a 9 percent business tax, 9 percent income tax and 9 percent sales tax.
Before we go any further, a few key points to keep in mind regarding Cain…
- He’s responsible for the greatest campaign ad in modern political history.
2. He’s a baritone.
3. Far more important than those two things, Cain’s 2012 presidential campaign ended prematurely after he was accused of sexual assault by multiple women, with another claiming Cain had an extramarital affair with her that lasted 13 years. Both Cain and his wife denied all of the allegations, but he ultimately dropped out of the race, acknowledging that he has “made mistakes in my life.” The extent of Cain’s “mistakes” will likely come into play if Trump does decide to give Cain one of the two currently vacant seats on the Federal Reserve Board, as the position is subject to a Senate confirmation hearing.
The president publicly criticized Fed Chairman Jerome Powell throughout 2018 for raising interest rates, and would love to have someone like-minded serving on the board. Cain certainly qualifies. He also has decades of corporate experience and was once the director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. As Bloomberg points out, Larry Kudlow, Trump’s chief economic adviser, said last week that the administration wants people running the Fed “who understand that you can have strong economic growth without higher inflation.”
When asked by the Post if he could confirm that he met with the president on Wednesday, Cain didn’t hesitate. “It’s hard to miss a 6 foot black man in a black hat walking out of the White House,” he said.