Herman Cain wins TeaCon 2011 straw poll in landslide victory
By Joe Newby, Spokane Conservative Examiner - October 2, 2011
examiner.com
GOP Presidential candidate Herman Cain won a Tea Party straw poll by a landslide Saturday evening.
The poll was part of a gathering of Tea Party activists at the Schaumburg Renaissance Hotel in Schaumburg, Ill.
The event, known as TeaCon 2011, was designed to mobilize Tea Party activists ahead of the 2012 election.
Cain was the only candidate to appear in person, however, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann addressed the crowd in a message she sent by video.
The former CEO of Godfather's Pizza won with 77 percent of the vote, while Michele Bachmann and Newt Gingrich came in second and third place, organizers said.
Receiving numerous standing ovations, he bluntly told the crowd that “stupid people are ruining America.”
The Chicago Sun-Times added:
Cain said he would spend money to build up a strong U.S. defense; support Israel; push domestic oil drilling with an “attitude adjustment” for the EPA, and promote his 9-9-9 tax reform plan.
Saying “I kinda like clinging to my guns and Bibles, and I’m not going to let them go,” Cain declared, “this nation is weaker as a result of this administration.”
He told the crowd the "patriot movement" known as the Tea Party "is what's going to save this nation. No, not hope darling, we will save this nation."
Last Saturday, Cain won Florida's Presidency 5 Straw Poll by a landslide, garnering more than two times the votes of Texas Governor Rick Perry, who came in second.
Some liberals, like Janeane Garofalo, said Cain's victory in Florida was simply an attempt to hide the racism inherent in the GOP, while most of the Democrat-media complex either ignored or minimized his victory.
The Sun-Times reported:
Cain said his recent win of the Florida straw poll against Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney meant his “message is more important than money. My two competitors that came in second and third, they spent a lot of money.… We rented a bus.”
According to myfoxchicago.com, Cain "gained momentum pushing his tax reform proposal."
“It's called the 999 plan, it imposes a 9% business flat tax, a 9% personal flat tax and a 9% national sales tax,” said Cain.
Cain’s “999” tax plan has also been criticized by some who say it would increase poverty.
Warner Todd Huston wrote at Chicago Now:
Long-time Chicago-area conservative activist Jack Roeser whose ChampionNews.net helped sponsor TeaCon 2011, was pressing Cain on his 999 plan and Cain wasn't having any of it.
Roeser and Cain had a private few minutes before the rest of the press was allowed in the room and it appeared that Mr. Roeser was none too happy with Cain’s 999 plan in the meeting. Roeser was pressing the candidate to answer to his concerns. For his part, Cain kept repeating that he had answered the question. The situation was spared from getting any harrier as the door flung open for the rest of the press and we all piled into the room giving Cain the escape hatch of briskly turning his attention to the rest of us and away from Mr. Roeser.
Fox reports that "some remain undecided on who should be the GOP nominee." This stands to reason, since the GOP has yet to hold a single primary, and the field of candidates is not yet completely settled.
“I was debating back and forth and I'm not 100% sure because they are a couple of candidates, some who are not as popular as others and I'm still a little up in the air about it. I know one I won't vote for sure. I like Michele Bachmann, I like Herman Cain and I like Rick Santorum,” said Claire Vanhorn.
According to Michelle Gatses, “I'm not 100% sure yet, I want to hear everyone.”
Fox also noted the crowd was made up primarily of "baby-boomers," while "Generations X, Y and Z and minorities" were "noticeably absent."
Nevertheless, Cain can now officially say he is a "Tea Party favorite."
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