[jogiba]

Orlando, Florida (CNN) - Texas Gov. Rick Perry's presidential campaign was dealt a worrying blow Saturday when he finished in a distant second place to businessman Herman Cain in a closely watched straw poll in Florida.

Cain won 37% of the 2,657 votes cast in the straw poll conducted at Presidency 5, a three-day convention sponsored by the Republican Party of Florida that brought thousands of party activists to Orlando.

Perry's campaign had courted Presidency 5 delegates for weeks and printed up glossy fliers that were distributed throughout the convention hall in Orlando, but the Texas governor captured just 410 votes, or 15.4% of the vote.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney finished third with 14%.

He was followed by former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum (10.9%), Texas Rep. Ron Paul (10.4%), former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (8.4%), former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (2.26%) and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann (1.5%).

Perry was expected to win the straw poll as the weekend began, but his underwhelming performance at a GOP debate on Thursday night raised questions about his readiness for prime time.

GOP activists at Presidency 5 also repeatedly expressed concern with Perry's forceful support for a Texas bill that grants in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants.

TRENDING: Cain upsets Perry as winner of Florida straw poll – CNN Political Ticker - CNN.com Blogs

[Wheatfield]

OMG, don't tell me another one of them Negros might be president!!!

[shooz]

Could happen.
I here he's paying for votes in pizza!!!!!!!!

[Chwisch87]

Straws polls mean nothing lol Ron Paul wins them all the time and he isn't exactly the front runner.

[GeneV]

True, but it also says something about the GOP in Fla. Charlie Crist, where are you?

[Parallax]

True, but it also says something about the GOP in Fla. .........

It sure does. It dispels the myth propagated by some members here that all Republicans are racist, and dislike Obama solely because he's black.

[GeneV]

Yes it does. It dispels the myth propagated by some members here that all Republicans are racist, and dislike Obama solely because he's black.

I think that overstates the position of those members, but anyone who does state that all Republicans are racist would be engaging in some insulting hyperbole. OTOH, the conclusion that this disproves racism also oversimplifies racism.

---

Last edited by GeneV; 09-25-2011 at 07:32 AM.

[Parallax]

I think that overstates the position of those members....

Admittedly I have indulged in a bit of hyperbole myself with respect to most of those members.

[Nesster]

But then, why NOT accept this as reality? Maybe the rank and file are tired of governors and senators and the like, and want someone truly on their side, without government experience? Maybe Cain ought to be considered a top contender? Whose influence is it that keeps MSM painting him as irrelevant? Perhaps he does represent the true heart of the Republican party.

[jeffkrol]

It sure does. It dispels the myth propagated by some members here that all Republicans are racist, and dislike Obama solely because he's black.

Nobody used the word ALL.......... Some of my best friends are non-racist Republicans.... err.. I'll get back to you on that one.....

[jogiba]

You Tube

You Tube

[GeneV]

I'll add one more reason Cain won--because he's somewhat likable, though we keep getting into trouble picking candidates this way. Of the people on the stage of the Republican debates, he and Gary Johnson are the only ones with whom I could share a glass of our favorite beverages (In Johnson's case, that would be a sports drink), and have some chance of enjoying it.

Other choices: you could end up in a Christian gunfight with Rick Perry, be hired to clean one of Mitt Romney's pools, have Newt hit on your wife (in front of his), Bachmann play dominatrix (no sex), Huntsman play Sominex, have Rick Santorum explain how gays in Italy caused his parents to emigrate, have Ron Paul wish you dead ....

[GeneV]

Cain now plays the race card on Perry, following this report in the Washington Post. Rick Perry family’s hunting camp still known to many by old racially charged name - The Washington Post , calling Perry "insensitive toward black people." Cain: Perry "insensitive" on hunting camp name - CBS News

[jeffkrol]

Racism aside:

But Experts Agree 9-9-9 Plan Would Disproportionately Tax Low- And Middle-Income Taxpayers

EPI President Mishel Says Plan Would "Disproportionately Tax Lower And Middle Income Earners." A September 27 post on the ABC News blog The Note quoted Lawrence Mishel, president of the Economic Policy Institute, as saying that Cain's plan would disproportionately tax lower and middle income earners. The post also noted that the plan's provision of cutting capital gains taxes would "allow 23,000 millionaires to pay no income taxes." From the post:

PolitiFact: Cain's Tax Plan Would Make "Some Poorer Americans Pay More Into The System." In an article published on PolitiFact on September 26, PolitiFact writer and St. Petersburg Times editor Aaron Sharockman wrote that "the flat income tax and the elimination of payroll taxes would result in shifting some of America's tax burden, making some poorer Americans pay more into the system while many middle- and upper-class Americans would pay less."
PolitiFact: "A National Sales Tax" Like Cain's "Would Raise the Relative Tax Burden On Low- And Middle-Income [Earners]." Sharockman also noted in his article, "Most economists agree that a national sales tax would raise the relative tax burden on low- and middle-income earning taxpayers." From his PolitiFact article:

Fox Distorts Impact Of Cain's 9-9-9 Plan On Low-Income Taxpayers | Media Matters for America

[cardinal43]

Cain now plays the race card on Perry, following this report in the Washington Post. Rick Perry family’s hunting camp still known to many by old racially charged name - The Washington Post , calling Perry "insensitive toward black people." Cain: Perry "insensitive" on hunting camp name - CBS News

Cain appears to have done a 180 on this after Limbaugh put out "the word".