Herman Cain’s prevarications about how accusations of sexual harassment were settled are only the most recent example of the candidate’s penchant for making contradictory statements on major issues. He also has made a habit of telling untruths about his own stance on abortion and about his signature 9-9-9 tax plan. Time and again, he has been caught evading questions, changing his story and contradicting his own earlier words. The most recent example is the allegation of sexual harassment. Politico reported that two women accused him of inappropriate behavior while he served as head of the National Restaurant Association and that both women received financial payments from the trade group. Cain has denied the allegations. At first, Cain also denied that either woman received a settlement. But later the same day, he acknowledged that in at least one case “there was some sort of settlement or termination” worth “maybe three months’ salary.” The next day Cain said it was “in the vicinity of three to six months.” The New York Times reports it was a year’s salary.
Similarly, Cain has made conflicting statements on abortion and his signature economic proposal, the 9-9-9 tax plan:
Cain told “Face the Nation” host Bob Schieffer on Oct. 30 that he is “pro-life from conception, period,” with no exceptions for rape, incest or the life of the mother. But two weeks earlier on “Meet the Press,” Cain said he would allow an exception for the mother’s life. He falsely told Schieffer that his earlier comments on abortion were “taken totally out of context.”
Cain also told Schieffer it had been “misreported” that he changed his 9-9-9 tax plan to ease the burden on low-income taxpayers. He said his plan “always had a provision” to exempt those living at or below poverty from paying taxes. But Cain never spoke of it until Oct. 21 in Michigan. Previously, when asked about the working poor who now pay no income taxes, Cain spoke of other provisions: one that would eliminate the payroll tax and another that he claims would reduce the cost of new goods.
In addition to this pattern of evasion and misdirection, Cain also has a proven ability to spread outrageously false information — such as accusing Planned Parenthood of “genocide” and concentrating abortion clinics in black neighborhoods.
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