Herman Cain

'We Ain't Stupid': Herman Cain Responds To State Of The Union

Ryan J. Reilly | January 24, 2012, 11:40PM

It was 85 days ago, here at the National Press Club in downtown Washington, that former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain faced a herd of cameras, photographers and reporters desperate for his reaction to a Politico story that ran the previous evening revealing he faced sexual harassment allegations during his time at the National Restaurant Association.

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Newt Gingrich

CHART OF THE DAY: Gingrich Tax Plan Would Codify Lower Taxes On Rich Than On Middle Class

Brian Beutler | December 13, 2011, 5:04AM

Newt Gingrich addresses a tea party rally in Staten Island, NY on December 3, 2011.

On Monday, the Tax Policy Center published an analysis of Newt Gingrich's plan to overhaul the tax code -- the latest in a series of of analyses of GOP presidential candidate tax proposals. And like all the plans that came before it, Gingrich's constitutes a massive tax cut for the rich. Indeed, no matter how you stack the numbers, Gingrich wants a tax system that permanently holds tax rates on the highest earners lower than tax rates on the middle class.

There are a lot of ways to parse the data. Gingrich proposes creating an alternative tax system that would significantly flatten the code, while keeping the current one in place as an option. So you can run the numbers assuming everybody jumps into the new system, or you can run them assuming that the only people who hop into the new system are people who would benefit financially as a result. And you can compare Gingrich's plan to current tax policy -- including the Bush tax cuts and other temporary tax policy -- or you can compare it to current law, which assumes all of these policies will expire in the next year, and go up on just about everyone.

To be as fair as possible, let's take Gingrich at his word that he would extend the Bush tax cuts for those staying in the current system, and that the only people who would opt into the new system are those who would pay lower taxes as a result.

Here's what happens to people's average federal tax burden as a result.

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Herman Cain

CHARTS OF THE DAY: 9-9-9 Plan Means Tax Cuts For Everybody! (Who Makes Over $200,0000)

Brian Beutler | October 19, 2011, 6:00AM

We've been reporting on the shortcomings of Herman Cain's 9-9-9 tax plan since before it was cool. The plan wipes out the current code and creates, in effect, a nine percent flat income tax, a nine percent value added tax, and (somewhat redundantly) a nine percent national sales tax. Even generous assumptions suggest it would leave the government short of the revenue it will need to fund key government services and programs like Medicare and Social Security. And, by dramatically lowering income taxes, and replacing them with taxes that hit consumers, it's regressive.

But we didn't know just how regressive until now.

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9-9-9

GOP Senators Dance, Dance, Dance Around 9-9-9

Brian Beutler | October 18, 2011, 3:41PM

Republican Presidential Candidate Herman Cain

As Herman Cain has climbed in the polls, lawmakers and other GOP presidential candidates have had to contend more seriously with his ideas. One of the main attacks his opponents have leveled against his 9-9-9 tax plan is that it won't fly in Congress.

True story. Today's GOP leaders aren't willing to embrace the plan, which would wipe out the current tax code and replace it with a nine percent tax on individual income, a nine percent tax on corporate income, and a nine percent sales tax.

As noted here, here, and here, the plan has a lot of problems. It's deeply regressive. As businesses passed on the cost of their share of the tax to consumers, it would hit low and middle income earners exceptionally hard at a time when the economy desperately needs more, not less, consumption. And part of it's probably unconstitutional, at least as Cain envisions it.

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Occupy Wall Street

Conservatives To Occupy Wall Street Protesters: Get A Job

Jillian Rayfield | October 12, 2011, 10:16AM

Conservatives love saying that Occupy Wall Street has no coherent idea of what it wants. But it is pretty clear that though demonstrators may disagree on the details, the protests are driven by a bad economy, growing income inequality and the fact that a lot of people can't get jobs.

So how have Republicans, tea partiers and Fox News hosts responded? By telling demonstrators to stop complaining and get a job...

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Herman Cain

What's Not To Like? Cain's 9-9-9 Plan Hits Poor, Blows Up Deficit, Threatens Entitlements

Brian Beutler and Kyle Leighton | October 7, 2011, 5:46AM

Herman Cain

Herman Cain's flagship 9-9-9 policy is perhaps the most memorable slogan of GOP primary season. Cain proposes to wipe out the existing tax code and replace it with a 9 percent individual income tax, a 9 percent corporate tax rate, and a 9 percent national sales tax. No more loopholes, no more deductions, no more exclusions, no more capital gains taxes, no more payroll taxes no more...Social Security or Medicare?

The 9-9-9 plan actually says nothing about Medicare. But numerous analyses conclude swapping out the current tax code for 9-9-9 would leave the Treasury significantly short of the insufficient revenues it currently collects. Cain has no interest in raising those rates. And that means barring unfathomable economic growth, 9-9-9 would yield enormous budget shortfalls and eventually require the government to offload popular programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

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Herman Cain

Cain's 9-9-9 Plan Makes Experts Dial 9-1-1

Brian Beutler | October 4, 2011, 5:55AM

Herman Cain has turned the number nine into a campaign mantra. He's running on a plan to wipe out the current tax code and replace it with one branded 9-9-9 -- a nine percent personal income tax, a nine percent corporate income tax and a nine percent sales tax.

This, even conservative experts agree, wouldn't provide the federal government with enough revenue to maintain the safety net and would lead therefore to either persistent deficits and growing debt, or a drastic reduction in social programs.

Because in addition to setting the rates at nine percent, he says he wants them essentially frozen there, so they can't climb to meet the nation's needs.

Fox News' Chris Wallace recently asked Cain "[H]ow do you guarantee that 9-9-9 down the line doesn't become 12-12-12?"

Cain responded, "In the legislation that I'm going to ask Congress to send me, I want a two-thirds vote required by the Senate in order for them to change it. That will impede cavalierly raising it."

There are two significant problems with this.

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Herman Cain

Herman Cain: We Really Should Impeach Obama Over DOMA

Evan McMorris-Santoro | August 17, 2011, 9:33AM

Herman Cain

Herman Cain, fresh off his fifth-place finish in the Ames Straw Poll, is embracing another one of the extreme positions that have turned him into such a polling success.

Politico reports Cain said Tuesday that impeaching Obama "would be a great thing to do" given Obama's clearly impeachable offenses like signing the health care reform bill into law and declaring the Defense Of Marriage Act unconstitutional. But, sadly, Cain said, the divided Congress stands in the way of removing Obama from office.

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Herman Cain

Cain: If I Get 5th Place In New Hampshire, 'We Will Be Ecstatic' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 15, 2011, 11:33AM

Herman Cain came in fifth place in the Iowa straw poll -- two positions back from third-place finisher Tim Pawlenty, who then quit the race. But not only is he sticking with it, Cain said during an appearance Monday morning on Fox News that he is excited about fifth place.

"Before I let you go, what's your next marker?" asked host Martha MacCallum. "You know, in terms of you looking forward, at what point do you decide, 'I'm in or out based on this date, or this victory, or this place?'"

"I will finish at number five in Iowa -- that's right where we want to be.," said Cain. "If we finish in the top five in New Hampshire, Martha, we will be ecstatic, because we're gonna put the same type of on the ground effort in New Hampshire that we did in Iowa, and we're also working South Carolina simultaneously.

"All right," MacCallum responded, "a determined Herman Cain."

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Tim Pawlenty

Michele Bachmann Wins Ames Straw Poll

Benjy Sarlin | August 13, 2011, 5:36PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Michele Bachmann has won the Ames Straw Poll, state GOP chair Matt Strawn announced on Saturday.

Bachmann secured 4823 votes, edging out Ron Paul, who had 4671 votes. Tim Pawlenty finished a distant third with 2293 votes - a disappointing result for the Minnesota governor after investing heavy resources as part of his broader Iowa-focused strategy. He suggested recently that he may have to a "reassess" his campaign if he fails to make an impact in the straw poll.

"We made progress in moving from the back of the pack into a competitive position for the caucuses, but we have a lot more work to do," Pawlenty said in a statement congratulating Bachmann.

Rounding out the rest of the field were Rick Santorum with 1657 votes, Herman Cain with 1456, Mitt Romney with 567, Newt Gingrich with 385, Jon Huntsman with 69, and Thad McCotter with 35. The bottom four, except for McCotter, did not participate in the day's events.

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Ames Straw Poll

Perry, Palin, and Polls: The GOP Primary's Wild Weekend

Benjy Sarlin | August 12, 2011, 5:16PM

Ames, Iowa. 2011. Ron Paul Supporters

Saturday is easily the most important day of the Republican primaries so far as the candidates face a major test in Iowa -- and a new challenger enters the arena.

The bulk of the field has been gathered in Iowa all week mingling with locals and noshing on corn dogs as crowds of national reporters follow their every move. The big show is Saturday afternoon as candidates make their final appeal for votes in the Ames Straw Poll, with the ballots closing at 4 PM.

Candidates are already planning all sorts of stunts to attract supporters. Rick Santorum is handing out free jelly. Tim Pawlenty invited Christian rockers Sonicflood. Herman Cain will sing gospel. All three will receive a visit from 2008 Iowa caucus winner Mike Huckabee, who will play bass at their booths.

The poll is totally unscientific, but a strong showing can give candidates a nice shot of positive press. And every candidate besides the state-leading Michele Bachmann is in desperate need of some help in that category. The only other heavyweight in the national polls, Mitt Romney, is not participating (although he's spent the last few days in Iowa). Tim Pawlenty is staking big money on Ames to jolt his lackluster campaign back to life and said on Friday that a flop would require him to "reassess" his approach. For some of the less establishment candidates, like Ron Paul and Herman Cain, a straw poll win could vault them back into the national conversation, much like Huckabee's second place finish helped draw new attention to his campaign and built momentum for his eventual upset victory in the state.

For the middle of the pack candidates, that boost is especially important given who isn't at Ames. That would be Texas Governor Rick Perry, who is expected to announce his presidential campaign in Charleston, South Carolina at a convention organized by right-wing site RedState.com. Perry's perfectly timed entrance threatens to squash contenders' straw poll gains by dominating the news cycle. If they don't break out soon, they could become buried as the race turns into a top-heavy war between frontrunners Bachmann, Romney, and Perry.

As if Perry's announcement isn't enough of a news suck, candidates in Iowa will also have to share headlines with Sarah Palin, who's in Ames. Although there's little evidence Palin is still seriously preparing for a presidential bid at this late stage in the game, she's still doing her best to convince her supporters not to rule her out. "There is still plenty of room in that field for a common-sense conservative," Palin told state fair-goers on Friday. "Watching the debate, not just last night, but watching this whole process over the past year, it has certainly shown me there's plenty of room for more people."

2012

GOP Fight Night: The Top Five Moments

Benjy Sarlin | August 11, 2011, 11:06PM

Remember that nice friendly New Hampshire debate from June when the GOP's fresh-faced field candidates, still basking in fluffy magazine profiles, joined hands to sing songs of President Obama's failed stimulus? That wasn't this debate.

Instead the candidates mixed it up early and often, even lashing out at the moderators. We compiled the pugilistic highlights, from Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann's snowball fight to Newt Gingrich's war on FOX News, into a video. Read on for the nitty gritty details after that.

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Debates

Iowa Showdown: Five Stories To Watch In Tonight's GOP Debate

Benjy Sarlin | August 11, 2011, 6:00AM

Jon Huntsman, Mitt Romney, Herman Cain, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

You might say that 2012 really starts tonight. At 9pm Eastern time, the declared Republican presidential candidates take the stage at Iowa -- barely two days ahead of the Ames Straw Poll, which many consider the unofficial first round of the primary season.

Of course, this debate will also be interesting for who it doesn't have: Texas Governor Rick Perry. Today he made it official that he'll be declaring his candidacy on Saturday. His shadow is sure to loom large over tonight's proceedings.

TPM's livewire will keep you updated of the night's events as they happen. We'll also be posting blog posts, fuller articles, and video throughout the evening.

Meanwhile, in preparation for the debate itelf, here's TPM's advice on what to look for:

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Ames Straw Poll

No Favorites: Huckabee To Join Cain, Santorum, And Pawlenty At Ames

Benjy Sarlin | August 10, 2011, 9:26AM

Mike Huckabee

Not one to play favorites, Mike Huckabee will play bass for not only Herman Cain but Rick Santorum and Tim Pawlenty as well at the Ames Straw Poll this weekend.

The news takes some of the thunder out of Cain's earlier announcement that Huckabee would back him up while he sang gospel himself at the event. The former Arkansas governor won the state handily in 2008 and it was considered his to lose in 2012 if he had decided to run. He has yet to endorse any of the candidates.

Huckabee's daughter, Sarah Huckabee, is a top aide to Pawlenty and tweeted on Wednesday that her father would play bass with the bands Sonicflood and the Nadas, who are performing at Pawlenty's booth. As for his Santorum appearance, the Des Moines Register reports he'll play Buddy Holly's "That'll Be The Day" and "Peggy Sue."

2012

Mike Huckabee To Jam With Herman Cain At Ames

Benjy Sarlin | August 9, 2011, 5:05PM

Mike Huckabee

Mike Huckabee, who won Iowa in 2008, will join Herman Cain at his Ames Straw Poll booth this weekend to lay down some bass grooves behind Cain's gospel vocals.

While not billed as a formal endorsement, Huckabee's appearance is a major boost to Cain, who has been counting on a strong performance at Ames to rocket him into the top tier of GOP contenders.

"I am honored to have the Governor join me on stage for this historic event," Cain, who like Huckabee is a Baptist minister, said in a statement. "We share many commonalities, including the deepness of our Christian faith and our love of music. I am humbled by his graciousness to share his musical gifts with me and I hope Iowa voters will enjoy the show."

Cain will also appear on Huckabee's FOX show the day after the straw poll.

Herman Cain

Cain't Win: Herman Cain Takes Weeklong Beating From Conservatives After Apologizing To Muslims

Evan McMorris-Santoro | August 8, 2011, 5:55AM

GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain

How important is warning about encroaching sharia to the modern conservative electorate? Judging by attacks Tea Party favorite Herman Cain has suffered since reaching out to American Muslims, pretty darn important.

Since shifting gears from his role as the campaign's pied-piper of sharia to the guy who may actually preach at a mosque someday soon, Cain has suffered the slings and arrows of his supporters and prominent voices on the anti-sharia right. He's also been lauded by some supporters, but it seems clear that, in aggregate, the new more tolerant Cain has not gone over well.

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Pres '12

Cain, Paul And Others Selling Campaign Gear Not Made In U.S.A.

Eric Kleefeld | August 2, 2011, 5:23PM

Presidential candidate Herman Cain (R)

Show us the invoices!

ABC News, which previously revealed that Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum were selling campaign T-shirts and other gear made outside the United States, has now found two other campaigns selling not-made-in-the-U.S.A. merchandise: Herman Cain and Ron Paul.

"No, I wasn't aware it was made in Honduras," Cain said in response. "I was just aware it was Fruit of the Loom ... which is an American company."

Ron Paul did not know, either -- but unlike other candidates, he isn't apologetic about it. "I wasn't aware of it ... but I wouldn't change it," said Paul. "I would argue the case that the market should determine it."

Herman Cain

The Real Deal: Muslim Witness To Cain's Mosque Visit Calls Sentiments Genuine

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 28, 2011, 5:50AM

GOP Presidential Candidate Herman Cain

The change of heart is a time-honored part of American political theater. As public sentiments (read: polling) change, politicians often find a way to alter their positions through seemingly heart-felt rhetoric. But there are rare occasions when the change of heart is real. And according to one of the Muslim community members Herman Cain visited with Wednesday, the Republicans newfound respect for Islam is completely genuine.

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Herman Cain

Herman Cain Apologizes To Muslims

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 27, 2011, 6:13PM

GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain

Herman Cain had his much-ballyhooed meeting with Muslims Wednesday, and he emerged, he said in a campaign statement "humble and contrite for any statements I have made that might have caused offense to Muslim Americans and their friends."

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Herman Cain

For Once, Herman Cain Doesn't Answer Questions About Muslims

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 27, 2011, 4:03PM

Presidential candidate Herman Cain (R)

The Herman Cain campaign has a Muslim problem: Try as it might to promote the candidate's business acumen and fiscal credentials, Cain's interest in Islam keeps getting in the way.

That may be changing.

Cain dropped by Capitol Hill today to speak at a tea party rally on behalf of the Republican Cut, Cap and Balance plan. As Politico reports, he was denied his scheduled speaking slot on stage. But the generally affable Cain wandered around for half an hour or so, taking questions from reporters on all manner of topics -- except his upcoming meeting with Muslim leaders.

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Herman Cain

Herman Cain Reaches Out To American Muslims

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 26, 2011, 5:41PM

After establishing himself as the Republican presidential candidate most overtly critical of Muslims in America, Herman Cain taking steps to reach out to the community.

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Herman Cain

Cain Campaign: We 'Respect' Ames Straw Poll Ballot Decision

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 25, 2011, 5:44PM

GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain

Last week, Herman Cain's campaign was upset about the way the Ames Straw Poll ballot was coming together in Iowa. Now that the ballot's been set -- partially against Team Cain's recommendations -- the campaign says it "respects the decision" of event organizers.

The Republican ritual is seen as a test of a presidential candidate's strength -- as well as a candidate's campaign coffers. Team Cain was concerned that candidates who didn't pay the thousands of dollars required to get a space at the Ames straw poll would get on the ballot anyway. In the end, all the declared candidates in the race were put on the ballot (even the ones who didn't pay to play at Ames) and two of the biggest undeclared names, Rick Perry and Sarah Palin, were left off.

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2012 elections

Herman Cain Cancels Colbert Report Appearance

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 25, 2011, 5:08PM

Herman Cain has canceled his scheduled appearance on the Colbert Report Wednesday, citing "a last minute scheduling conflict."

Show host Stephen Colbert had been hyping the appearance, which would have come after Cain challenged Colbert colleague Jon Stewart and amped up his rhetoric that critics have called anti-Muslim.

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Herman Cain

Cain Campaign Warns IA GOP Against Opening Big Straw Poll Ballot To Romney, Perry

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 21, 2011, 2:44PM

Herman Cain

In a few weeks, the first major contest of the 2012 Iowa caucus kicks off in Ames. The famous Ames Straw Poll is a mixture of Republican politicking, theater and raw, unadulterated capitalism.

Herman Cain doesn't want the state GOP to ruin the fun. "By putting people on the ballot who didn't pay, [the state party] has the potential to weaken Iowa's status as the first in the nation caucus," Cain spokesperson Ellen Carmichael told TPM.

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Herman Cain

Herman Cain: Mitt Romney Can't Win Because He's A Mormon (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 18, 2011, 5:32PM

Herman Cain

Herman Cain made an issue of Mitt Romney's Mormon faith in an interview the Washington Times published Monday.

Arguing he'd make a better choice than Romney, Cain said that current GOP presidential frontrunner's religion will be a problem with a large and important segment of the base.

"it doesn't bother me," Cain told the Times, "but i do know that its an issue with a lot of Southerners."

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Herman Cain

Herman Cain: American Communities Have The Right To Ban Mosques

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 17, 2011, 10:07AM

Presidential candidate Herman Cain (R)

On Fox News Sunday this morning, Herman Cain calmly and succinctly took one of the hardest lines against Muslims in modern mainstream politics.

Islam is not a religion like other religions, he said, and Americans have the right to keep it out of their communities if they wish.

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Herman Cain

Herman Cain Strikes Again: Says TN Mosque Project Is 'Not Innocent'

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 15, 2011, 9:46AM

GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain

Can Herman Cain go a month without saying something incendiary about Muslims in America? Signs point to no.

At a campaign stop in Murfreesboro, TN yesterday, Cain sounded off on the mosque project in the city that kicked up some anti-Islamic fervor -- and a little apparent hate crime action -- last year.

Asked about the project by reporters after a rally in Murfreesboro, Cain took up the party line of the opponents, who say the mosque is pushing sharia law on an unsuspecting populace in the home of Middle Tennessee State University.

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Iowa caucus

Herman Cain Not Signing 'Marriage Vow' Either

Eric Kleefeld | July 13, 2011, 6:39PM

Herman Cain

Yet another Republican presidential candidate is declining to sign the controversial "Marriage Vow" pledge put forward by the Iowa conservative group Family Leader: Herman Cain.

"While I commend their intent regarding the pledge, I believe my stated position encompasses their values without the need to sign the pledge," Cain said, the Des Moines Register reports. He also added: "I am, and will continue to be, an ardent defender of traditional marriage and will work to preserve and protect the sanctity of human life, which I believe begins at conception."

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2012

VIDEO: New Cain Ad Turns Romney's Cash Into A Negative

Benjy Sarlin | July 13, 2011, 10:36AM

Herman Cain may never be able to match Mitt Romney's giant fundraising numbers, but he can at least try to spin his rival's big money into an attack.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Meet The 2012 GOPers: Mitt Romney]

His latest ad, a Mastercard parody titled "Priceless," begins with news stories about a Romney event in which he claimed to raise over $10 million as well as reports that President Obama could raise $1 billion for his re-election. It contrasts them with Cain's "priceless" ability to turn out people for events -- his campaign claims 15,000 were at his Atlanta announcement in June.

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Herman Cain

LISTEN: Herman Cain's Gospel Album Drops

Benjy Sarlin | July 11, 2011, 2:59PM

Herman Cain

Sure you knew Herman Cain could manage a pizza empire and run a presidential campaign, but did you know he is also a skilled gospel singer?

The Republican presidential candidate's gospel album "Sunday Morning" went online today and according to Cain spokesman Ellen Carmichael on Twitter, his staff "may or may not be 'testifying' in the office right now, listening to boss's music." Carmichael told TPM that an independent pro-Cain website, DraftCain.org posted the years-old album and that the official campaign had nothing to do with its re-emergence.

You can listen to the complete album below and post your reviews in the comments section.

H/t: Daily Caller

Herman Cain

Amid Fox News Attacks On Jon Stewart, Herman Cain Heads For The Colbert Report

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 5, 2011, 6:52PM

Herman Cain will be a guest on The Colbert Report on Thursday, July 28, Cain's campaign tells TPM.

That puts Cain in one of the most scorching hotseats on television just days after he said Colbert's lead-in, Jon Stewart, "does not like me...because I'm black and conservative."

They may be two different shows, but by appearing on Colbert, Cain is headed to Stewart's home turf in the midst of a rhetorical fight between Stewart and Fox News that's partially about Cain.

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Herman Cain

Herman Cain Hauls In $2.46M In Fundraising, 'No Debt'

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 1, 2011, 11:42PM

GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain

Former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain is a grassroots sensation on the 2012 presidential campaign trail. Now we know what that looks like as a dollar figure: Cain brought in $2.46 million in campaign contributions, a number the campaign tells TPM it expects to see rise to closer to $2.48 when all the final reporting is done.

"It's not Mitt Romney money, it's not [President] Obama money, but we're excited," spokesperson Ellen Carmichael told TPM late Friday night.

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2012 elections

Six Months, Seven Fails: The Opening Round Of Campaign 2012 (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | July 1, 2011, 2:43PM

Tim Pawlenty (R-MN), Sarah Palin (R-AK), Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Herman Cain (R-TN)

Running for president is hard. Candidates have to be focused, dedicated and possess an almost unfathomable amount of vanity. It also takes a healthy appetite for shoe leather -- you're gonna put your foot directly in your mouth, usually on national television, more than few times before all is said and done.

At the end of June, campaign 2012 is coming along nicely on that front. We've seen candidates (and potential candidates) choke up on a debate stage, claim Paul Revere rang bells, scream at reporters on camera, flip-flop mightily and even misspell their own names at their own kickoffs. If the first six months of the presidential campaign trail are any guide, it's going to be an exceptionally fun year.

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2012

July 4 Big-Time Campaign Day For 2012 Field

Benjy Sarlin | July 1, 2011, 12:39PM

GOP Presidential Candidates Debate, Jun 13, 2011

Fairs, rallies, parades! They're everywhere a candidate wants to be and July 4 is the mother lode for voter-friendly events. The top candidates are all keeping busy schedules for the holiday and their plans say plenty about their broader strategy.

In one case, two candidates will directly overlap. Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman are both participating in a parade in Amherst, New Hampshire to commemorate Independence Day. New Hampshire is the center of Romney's strength in the 2012 race and he enjoys heavy frontrunner status. Romney will also hit up a couple of other holiday events in the state, including another parade later in the day. For Huntsman, who is competing with many of the same moderate and establishment voters and donors, catching up on Romney in the polls there is crucial to scoring him some much-needed credibility.

Herman Cain will end his busy day in New Hampshire, throwing out the first pitch at a minor league baseball game, but he'll start off in Philadelphia for a Tea Party rally with former UN Ambassador John Bolton. Firing up the grassroots is crucial to Cain's candidacy and he needs to broaden his small donor base if he wants to make an impact in fundraising after a lackluster start.

Michele Bachmann's presidential hopes rest on a strong showing in Iowa, where she was born and launched her campaign (albeit with a few hiccups). Not surprisingly, she's digging in for the entire holiday weekend, hoping to capitalize on her momentum in the polls. She'll be hitting her share of parades and local celebrations across the state.

Intersecting with Bachmann will be Newt Gingrich, whose campaign has lost most of its top staff. The two are both participating in the Clear Lake Independence Day parade. Rick Santorum is also expected to campaign in Iowa that day, where he will need a strong performance to stay in the race.

One exception to the July 4 rush: Tim Pawlenty, who has not released a public schedule for the holiday.

Iowa caucus

Cain To Visit John Wayne's Hometown In Iowa (The Actor, Not The Serial Killer)

Eric Kleefeld | June 30, 2011, 1:04PM

Herman Cain and John Wayne

Hmm, is Herman Cain trying to take the spotlight back from Michele Bachmann?

Cain is set to make a campaign stop this Sunday in a special town: Winterset, Iowa, the hometown of actor John Wayne -- whose name has suddenly re-entered the American political psyche, thanks to a gaffe during Bachmann's campaign rollout.

And that's not all: Cain will be visiting a Godfather's Pizza restaurant -- the corporation that he used to head up -- on John Wayne Drive in Winterset.

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Afghanistan

Whatever Way You Go On Afghanistan, There's A Republican Prez Candidate For That

Evan McMorris-Santoro | June 23, 2011, 12:54PM

In the hours after President Obama's Afghanistan draw-down speech (remember that?), Republican presidential candidates fired off responses that ranged from subtly supportive but unimpressed to totally opposed and really unimpressed.

Yes, GOP primary voter: No matter where you stand on the longest war in American history, there's a Republican running for president who speaks your language.

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Climate Change

Meet The New Pollution-Friendly GOP

Benjy Sarlin | June 21, 2011, 5:45AM

GOP Presidential Candidates Debate, Jun 13, 2011

In last week's debate, Republicans got their first look at a GOP field much more openly hostile to the environment than in recent elections, with several candidates openly calling for an end to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). But many of the top contenders have also flirted with eco-friendly policy in the recent past, even if they aren't too quick to proclaim it these days. Making matters more confusing, here's even some overlap between the two camps. So where do the big players stand right now?

On the far end, you have the "Abolish the EPA" crowd. These were the loudest and most noteworthy voices at the New Hampshire debate.

"What we need to do is pass the mother of all repeal bills, but it's the repeal bill that will get a job killing regulations," Michele Bachmann said at the event. "And I would begin with the EPA, because there is no other agency like the EPA. It should really be renamed the job-killing organization of America."

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Herman Cain

Herman Cain Walks Back His Rhetoric About Muslims

Evan McMorris-Santoro | June 18, 2011, 8:04PM

GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain

MINNEAPOLIS -- On the one hand, Herman Cain is prepared to tell anyone who asks that he'll take "extra precautions" to assure that a potential Muslim appointee is not, in fact, bent on the destruction of the United States.

On the other hand, he doesn't mean that at all.

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2012

Muslims, Medicare, And Mandates: The Top 5 Moments From The GOP Debate

Benjy Sarlin | June 14, 2011, 5:45AM

GOP Presidential Candidates Debate, Jun 13, 2011

OK, so the fireworks weren't quite there on Monday. The candidates seemed more concerned with introducing their dozens of grandchildren and out-doing each other's attacks on President Obama than in directly addressing each other. But the GOP debate produced some illuminating moments, from Tim Pawlenty's awkward avoidance of a confrontation with Mitt Romney to Herman Cain's plan to root out "violent" Muslims. Without further ado, here are the top five highlights:

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Herman Cain

Herman Cain Says He's Only Afraid Of 'Violent' Muslims

Benjy Sarlin | June 13, 2011, 9:17PM

Hermain Cain At GOP Candidates Debate, June 13, 2011

Clarifying his earlier claim that Muslims do not belong in government, Herman Cain said in the New Hampshire Republican debate Monday night that he only meant the bad ones.

"You have peaceful Muslims, then you have militant Muslims, those that are trying to kill us," Cain said. "I was thinking about the ones that were trying to kill us."

Cain raised eyebrows in March when he said he would not appoint Muslims to his hypothetical White House cabinet out of fears they would "gradually ease Sharia law and the Muslim faith into our government." He said he still would grill any potential Muslim candidates on whether they were properly pro-American.

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