Republican Debate - Gop Debate Fuels A Long - Shot

By NEIL KING JR.

For months, former corporate executive Herman Cain possesses waged a ceaseless terrain episode in his long-shot journey to the Republican presidential nomination. Dinner conversational around Fargo, North Dakota? No problem. Tea-party rally with Jeannette, Pa.? Sure thing. Thirty a short time crisscrossing Iowa given that January? Done that.

Now, because setting up a surprising sprinkle in previous week's South Carolina Republican debate , that little-known, radio-talk-show particular is acquiring what exactly he laughingly cell phone calls "aerial protection." Interview demands tend to be ready in, together with donations, volunteers along with invites in order to speak.

On Friday night, many $ 100 or so people turned released in order to perceive him or her in Las Vegas. The identical night, he gained a Washington express GOP straw poll. On Monday, previous UPS leader Ron Wallace will host a new high-priced fundraiser with regard to Mr. Cain inside suburbs involving his hometown, Atlanta. Three hundred are likely to attend.

Michael Seamans / Demotix/Demotix

Presidential positive Herman Cain, left, at a Concord, N.H., rally inside April, includes witnessed affinity for his / her campaign climb given that very last week's Republican debate .

Long-shot presidential individuals seek one thing around the particular early portions on the campaign: Traction. Mr. Cain often have merely gained that.

By nearly measure, Mr. Cain is usually an not likely Republican nominee. He's a blip on national polls, a fledgeling to presidential politics as well as has never used chosen office. He's an African-American in the party which is always overwhelmingly white.

He brushes most that aside, describing themselves at the recent rally seeing that "the charcoal guy who retains profitable stuff."

At previous Thursday's Republican discussion inside Greenville, S.C., the first kind chief executive regarding Godfather's Pizza attained plaudits which includes a breezy performance of which required pictures both at President Barack Obama as well as the some other several contestants upon stage. "One perfect choice won't a terrific chief executive make," this individual reported regarding Mr. Obama's flourishing contacting intended for your hand techinque that harmed Osama bin Laden.

Boasting that he had in no way been elected, Mr. Cain nodded to be able to his challengers a congressman, a couple an old governors and also a an old senator and also said, "They have presented public place of work before." Then he / she addressed your audience, drawing laughter as well as applause using that line, "How's which doing exercise to get you?"

A Fox target class stored right after the actual debate declared him or her the overwhelming winner. Conservative bloggers plus pundits extra equivalent fanfares.

Even some fans, though, declare this individual would need to bone fragments way up moreon a sector ofissues.

"Herman fantastic phone speaker and can make a terrific initial impression," explained Dave Funk, who have seated affordable together with Mr. Cain six occasions in recently available many months when co-chairman of the Republican Party inside Iowa's dominating Polk County. "But precisely what I don't notice nevertheless fantastic deal involving deep upon things such as Afghanistan as well as country's defense."

The daughter of your chauffeur including a domestic worker, the particular 65-year-old Mr. Cain includes managed to utilize his / her party's tea-party fervor while preserving his or her institution bona fides like a original company exec and onetime chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank associated with Kansas City.

Coca-Cola Co. At your aged Pillsbury Co., they converted about one of several company's worst-performing collections of Burger King restaurants. He served rescue Godfather's Pizza from near-bankruptcy, plus dished up for years seeing that head associated with the National Restaurant Federation.

More recently, Mr. Cain, who will be wedded along with has a couple person children, offers hosted a converse show outside Atlanta beamed all over high of the particular South.

On that stump, Mr. Cain leans towards libertarian with fiscal matters, although on societal challenges is often a more traditional conservative, the other lgbt marriage plus abortion. He champions cutting the type with government and changing federal cash flow taxations which includes a consumption tax. In this debate, your dog said your dog was however endeavoring to discover just what the particular U.S. assignment had been in Iraq as well as Afghanistan.

Mr. Cain mentioned it can be his offering this distinguishes him through the pack. "I don't discuss through individual's heads, and I don't work with the typical political lingo," he or she said, communicating in simply by cell phone from Las Vegas.

He even offers also been one this season's nearly all frenetic campaigners, visiting Iowa sometimes considering that start from the calendar year (at smallest 15 times, says an aide) that a great many GOP activists now there laugh this presently there should be above one Herman Cain.

Suggesting the actual work is having to pay off, he or she received a straw poll between lower activists within Des Moines in the March forum, wherever better-known 2012 hopefuls including an old House Speaker Newt Gingrich plus past Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty furthermore appeared.

Mr. Cain states his or her system does not call for that will they gain every of the very first massive prize draws earlier the coming year in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina plus Nevada.

"But if I can easily complete inside the top rated several in all of those, that could often be your house run," this individual said. "For a new comparable unknown including me, that may provide that impetus and keep going forward."

Write to Neil King Jr. at neil.king@wsj.com