Herman Cain Finally Says Something That’s Arguably True

In a speech to a mob of morons who love him in Dayton, Ohio on November 30, Herman Cain bellowed:

“Stupid people are ruining America!” The mob cheered lustily.

Of course, we can’t really give him credit because he wasn’t referring to himself. Rather he was manifesting unconscious projection, a common phenomenon I have observed for years in reactionaries. They project truths about themselves of which they are unaware (in denial) onto external objects of demonization. In this way they disown unwanted truths about themselves while scapegoating others.

On the same day he also manifested another common reactionary trait, persecution complex. In an indirect, dishonest and veiled response to the revelation of a 13 year affair with a mistress, the lout yelled to the gang of loyal lunkheads:

“They want you to believe that with enough character assassination on me, I will drop out!” Whoever “they” is. But no matter, the juvenile jackasses accepted his invitation to ignore facts and screeched back “No! Don’t go!” Like little children clinging to their Daddy’s leg.

In fact, faceless enemies are the best kind. If you actually name someone, they can refute your absurd conspiracy allegations. And faceless ones are so wonderfully shadowy and all-powerful. Cain implicitly invites his deluded followers to discard facts and judgment entirely and believe that the whole world is engaged in a gigantic conspiracy to make Cain look bad, to prevent him from Saving America. The vaguer the defense against truth, the better, since the demagogue can rise “above” facts to a solipsistic realm of Higher (Ideological) Truth. Reagan specialized in this.* Appointing himself Leader of the American Volk, I mean, People, Cain shouted:

“Well, the American people have a different idea. [Than that “enough character assassination” will force him to “drop out.”] “The American people are going to raise some Cain in 2012!” So fall in line, you all!

The next day, Cain revealed on C-Span that his wife had no idea he had this woman “friend” for thirteen years who he was giving money to. Hey, that’s a close relationship with your wife, “Herminator.” (An unintentionally appropriate nickname, derived from the movie series title of the grouper/adulterer/secret child sirer Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Terminator.”) He said his wife “understands.” I’ll bet.

A “secret” lady friend for 13 years, who he flew around the country and met unbeknownst to his wife. But they were just “friends.” If he wants to insult his wife’s intelligence, that’s her problem. And of course his cretinous followers have no intelligence to insult. But insulting the intelligence of the rest of us is obnoxious and, yes, insulting.

It’s reported that Cain will spend the weekend with his wife to decide his next move. And to try to talk his way out of the doghouse, no doubt.

-A note on “name-calling:” People who are abysmally ignorant of facts, whose view of reality is fantastical, and who have no respect for rational discourse or logic, are morons, lunkheads, idiots, and should be labeled as such, not legitimized and respected. This is especially critical as for many decades in the U.S., reactionaries routinely direct invective and crude insults to those they oppose, “liberal.” “feminists” (aka “feminazis”) “socialists,” “pinkos,” “tree-huggers,” and on and on. Just listen to their radio, read their rags. There can be no civilized discourse with extremists. You can’t reason with the irrational. Instead their targets/victims need to finally stop being political pacifists and fight back.

In fact, many of them self-identify as mindless. Rush Limbaugh’s followers call themselves “dittoheads.” I.e. “I don’t think, I don’t need to think, I just parrot whatever reactionary ranting gush Rush is spewing.”

*Not coincidentally, one of Cain’s applause lines was that Reagan was one of the Greatest Presidents. Which isn’t saying much actually, since aside from Washington, Lincoln, and maybe FDR, what was “great” about any of them? One of those was huge in his time, and before becoming President led a successful successionist war, and the other two handled major crises more or less competently. Reagan was a hard right fanatic who supported apartheid and death squad fascist regimes to the hilt, waged terrorist war on Nicaragua, and committed other crimes against humanity. But the establishment’s propaganda system has apotheosized him and demands we worship him.  Whatever. I’m just an inveterate nitpicker, I guess.