Wednesday, November 9, 2011

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

This is the difference between good photography and great photography...

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi adjusts his tie in anticipation of the G-12 Summit photo, as Argentina President Cristina Kirchner looks on.

Or...

Multi-billionaire horn dog gears up to invite one of the world's sexiest female politicians to his Villa Festiva, as the unsuspecting Argentine beauty looks on.

The leering lecherous lethoso from Legorno may be on his way out, if Italy doesn't collapse around him first.



Speaking of collapses, is Herman Cain's campaign on the brink of collapse?

I think Herman Cain is done. Unless you're a democrat, you just can't survive something like this, no matter the veracity of the charges or the credibility of the accusers.

This is a "he said, she said," with no way to verify what really happened. A little less so for the two incidents where the women received settlements, since the association could publish a redacted copy of the reports and allow us to judge for ourselves.

The incident involving the woman that just came forward can never be verified. We are left to rely on  character witnesses for both sides and examining other parts of their lives for a history of  unsavoriness or other similar incidents.

I question Mr. Cain's judgment if he indeed placed himself in a position where he was with a woman alone.   A powerful person who is prudent never does that.  According to Mr. Cain and others, the two incidents that resulted in the settlements happened in public, not private.

I also question why this woman didn't go to the police. This was not some caddish behavior; she is alleging an assault. Not fighting evil is to countenance and nurture it. Leaving a predator free makes you complicit in his subsequent attacks.

Edmund Burke Strikes Again

Joe paterno and his star quarterback turned assistant coach will find that out if they haven't woken up already. It strains credulity that they didn't know what that vile pervert was up to.

John Cardinal Law, who was supposed to lead his flock and protect it, instead knowingly unleased pedophiles upon it, leading to the bankruptcy (moral and financial) of his diocese. Instead of being clapped into prison, he was given a plum assignment in Rome and feted with lavish parties. He was just one of many, and the church (and more importantly the victims) have never fully recovered from its countenanced criminality. Had good men stood up, it would be a much different story.

44 comments:

Always On Watch said...

Silverfiddle,
I think Herman Cain is done.

I'm not sure about that.

After all, President Zipper served two terms. Sure, he's a Dem, but America elected Clinton out of frustration with the George H.W. Bush at the time.

Silverfiddle said...

It is not my hope, AOW, but what my gut tells me will happen.

If the allegations are true, more will come out. If they are part of an orchestrated campaign of lies, more will come out.

What's insidious about this is that you can't prove a negative. Cain cannot prove his innocence.

Ducky's here said...

Well Berlusconi is apparently out. Not before he helped push the Italian the yield on Italian debt to 8%.

What strikes me about Herman is that he isn't very bright. The man is patronizing and he's not used to being questioned.
He was asked in the Gingrich debate about defined benefit plans and his response was "What".
He's what we deserve but he's clearly a dolt. And probably a sleaze at that.

Cardinal Law should burn in hell. But the Catholic church has begun abrogating all moral authority. Something that's true of most religions as they overlook the social gospel.

The status of football coaches in this country is insane.

Anonymous said...

Every bit of this crap they're throwing at Herman Cain is politically motivated HORSE SHIT.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised -- or disillusioned -- if it turned out the RNC, or operatives secretly sponsored therefrom -- weren't behind this --or at least fully complicit in it. The last thing The Establishment wants is an upitty nigger they can't control in the Oval Office.

Obama is a Puppet. His strings are pulled by The Oligarchs.

Herman Cain is his own man -- a clear and present danger to The Establishment.

The MEDIA wants Mitt Romney to be the Republican candidate.

The RNC wants Mitt Romney to be the Republican candidate.

What WE the PEOPLE want, is not of the slightest concern to the corrupt Establishment where elements supposedly working in opposition to one another are actually in an ALLIANCE -- a PARTNERSHIP -- against the best interests of the Average American.

Could I PROVE this with sufficient evidence to satisfy a Court of Law?

Of course not!

Just as Herman Cain, who is most certainly being "Clarence-Thomased," cannot possibly prove that any of the smelly, slimy cunts who have suddenly come oozed out of the woodwork to point their grubby, gold-greased, clit-stroking fingers at him have been hired or blackmailed by the Big Guns to blow Mr. Cain out of the water.

It's disgusting. It's discouraging, and I defy anyone to PROVE that this is NOT the way business is done today in this, The Land of the Greedy Using the Needy to Dig Her Own Grave.

~ FreeThinke

PS: Did anyone hear Michael Savage night before last? Now THERE is man after my own heart. Hs show ain't pretty. Many find him offensively disagreeable. If so, it's only because he pulls no punches when telling us the plain, unvarnished truth. God bless him! - FT

Anonymous said...

I'd rather see a pile of rocks elected president than Herman Cain, but I have a serious problem that his candidacy is likely ended because of something like this.

It's really odd that this stuff came out when he started to gain steam. It's also sad that as a nation we automatically assume that a woman who says a man was inappropriate towards her is definitely not lying. This sets an extremely dangerous precedent. If you don't like your opponent, just get someone to say he groped you. The cynical side of me wonders how much this woman was paid.

Anonymous said...

FYI: Bland, bloated, boring Karl Rove -- another obvious Establishment Tool -- has just intoned on FOX that Herman Cain will have to get a third party to help prove his innocence or his candidacy is finished.

See what I mean? The Dump Cain Drumbeat has already started. Phew Hewitt couldn't wait to start vivisecting Mr. Cain before his national radio audience last night.

I wonder what Rush will have to say about this? Too bad I have to miss his broadcast today, because of a previous engagement.

Clinton was not only a whoremaster, he was a RAPIST --Juanita Broaddrick said so, and we all should know by now that an accusation is a good as conviction. That's been true ever since the McMartin Case, so Clinton was a RAPIST, and The Powers That Be let him stay stay in the White House -- and he's achieved the status of a FOLK HERO today.

Nixon was tossed out on his ass, because he was an effective anti-Communist who'd been faithful to his wife throughout their long marriage.

Robert Bork was denied a seat on the Supreme Court because Demothugs shot him up during the nominating process.

Clarence Thomas was subjected to a High Tech Lynching by DemoThugs, because he was the WRONG KIND of nigger.

Herman Cain is being crucified for exactly the same reason that Justice Thomas was.

Thomas prevailed. Hip Hip HOORAY!

I hope and pray that Herman Cain will stand firm, spit squarely in the face of his attackers, secure himself the nomination, and then beat the bleeding SHIT out of Obama AND the Republican Establishment a year from now.


~ FreeThinke

Anonymous said...

@FT,

You said:
"I hope and pray that Herman Cain will stand firm, spit squarely in the face of his attackers, secure himself the nomination, and then beat the bleeding SHIT out of Obama AND the Republican Establishment a year from now."
--------------------

Nicely said, sir. Nicely said, indeed. Let us hope that your words here are prophetic.

Anonymous said...

This post from NetObserver over at GeeeeeZ is worth quoting here:

"Well, she's not quite the smoking gun. But she's AWFUL timing if you're a Cain supporter; or a GOP supporter, for that matter.

"A life-long GOP-er woman comes out at THIS point with a claim like THAT? Unless she's aiming for an extremely lucrative book deal, what could possibly be her ulterior motive?

"I'll even go as far as to say that the lady's story lacks credibility. Meaning, I cannot imagine a man of Cain's status doing that to a younger woman without her telling her boyfriend (or at least one of her girlfriends or one of her close associates at that job) ALL the gory details.

"As opposed to "He behaved inappropriately. I'm too embarrassed to go into details."

"Unless of course, there were other details that she didn't want to come out.

While I hesitate to say the following, this woman strikes me as someone who was probably a better-than-average looking young female back in the day; and sometimes, in the case of SOME young females, it's tempting to use your looks to get a guy to give you what you want, even if it means sending mixed and sometimes dangerously consequential signals.

"She claimed her response to Cain was: "What are you doing? You know I have a boyfriend." Not exactly the words I'd expect to hear from a woman who was just unexpectedly physically assaulted.

"And the fact that she immediately trusted him to take her back to her room (or where ever she said) confounds me as well.

"But again, it's possible. Likely? I honestly don't know.

"But it almost doesn't matter. These women can't ALL be bald-faced liars, can they?

"I agree with this accuser on one point: Herman Cain needs to come CLEAN, no matter what the consequence.

"If he's really a scumbag, he needs to get out of the way and stop taking up all this airspace. If these ladies are all full of it, they need to be exposed, once and for all.

"Frankly, I can't see how Cain can shake this. Unless he's a victim of a unique wholesale conspiracy, he's toast. And if I had to roll the dice, I'd say Obama's on his way to a second term. The GOP looks kinda lost right about now.'


Submitted by FreeThinke

PSD: NetO is black if that makes any difference to te way you process his remarks. -FT

Silverfiddle said...

People keep shouting that this woman has no way of getting a book deal because there's not enough to write about.

The miss how times have changed. Book deal? Ha!

This is the age of being famous for being famous. What the hell has Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton ever done besides star as a whore in an internet porno? Yet both are a multimillion dollar industry.

This is about fame and fortune, no matter how much this accuser must debase herself to get it.

BOGIE said...

The slimy, scummy communists, Soros, Obama and Axlerod are behind the orchestrating of Herman Cain’s demise. ..

Unknown said...

Cain's shouldn't go anywhere.
The original "accuser" is now being reported as a Gold Digger. 3 years after nailing NRA, and went after another manager in her next job, for the same thing.

Ducky's here said...

@Jack Camwell - It's also sad that as a nation we automatically assume that a woman who says a man was inappropriate towards her is definitely not lying.

-----------

FIVE women and a couple of nondisclosure agreements. Theres reason to believe there's "there" there.

Cain is running for the presidency yet he acts like he's pushing around some low level employee. "I didn't do anything and the help isn't giving me the proper respect."

Toast and a rather dimwitted man.

Ducky's here said...

@Silverfiddle - This is about fame and fortune, no matter how much this accuser must debase herself to get it.
------

Partially. Any time someone brings in Gloria Allred we have to be suspicious.

However, this is also about multiple accusations and Herman lacking the personal accountability that you right wingers are always talking about.

Anonymous said...

Could JFK get elected today?

Silverfiddle said...

@ Ducky: However, this is also about multiple accusations and Herman lacking the personal accountability that you right wingers are always talking about.

Yes, you have a point. I was merely pointing out that a book deal is not the only motive anymore.

Malcolm said...

The Herman Cain scandal isn't a "he said/she said", it's a "he said/they said". Still, the allegations are going to be difficult to corroborate. One part that I'm really questioning is the fact that Cain stated he had never met Ms. Bialek. There are stories about a photo of Bialek hugging Cain at a recent event in Chicago. If a photo actually exists and comes to light, he’s got even more explaining to do.

Although I think Herman Cain would make a terrible president, part of me feels sorry for him. This mess has the slight smell of the GOP establishment working to get Cain out of the race.

If by "something like this" you mean sex scandals in general, it's not only Democrats who have the capability of surviving them. After all, David Vitter kept his job in the aftermath of the "D.C. Madam" scandal.

Anonymous said...

@Malcolm,

A photo of Cain hugging Bialek is more of a detriment to her than him. She maintains she "confronted him" backstage at Chicago. A photo of her and him hugging wouldn't look too confrontational.

As to Mr. Cain saying he didn't even know her, I can empathize. In the military I trained hundreds of soldiers. I don't remember any of them. There are simply too many faces and names to put together for me. How many people does Mr. Cain actually know as opposed to people saying they now Cain? I mean, how many folks has he shaken hands with or had photo-ops with and then these people disappear into obscurity, but they post their photos with Mr. Cain claiming he and they are buddies.

I hardly expect Mr. Cain to remember everyone he has ever encountered.

Ducky's here said...

"The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted the spoons."

--- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Malcolm said...

ecc102: During her press conference, Ms. Bialek said that during the NRA convention, Cain spoke and interacted with her on several occasions. She added that when she saw him a month ago she went up to him and asked "Do you remember me?" According to Ms. Bialek, he acknowledged he did. Her account of their encounter last month doesn't jibe with how many of us define the word "confront".

Whether or not the alleged photo looks detrimental to him or her is in the eye of the beholder. One would have to wonder "Who initiated the hug?" If it was her, I'd ask "Why would you hug a man who sexually assaulted you?" If it was him, it could have happened too fast for her to pull away.

I don't expect Mr. Cain to remember everyone he's encountered either. However, if everything Ms. Bialek has said is true, I find it hard to believe he wouldn't remember her. Especially if their encounter last month happened as she said.

Z said...

ccc....She could have been a brunette 14 years ago, believe me. She's got blonde streaks in her hair now, who knows what the hair du jour was back then?
I've met many celebs and reminded them I've met them before; If I met them thru a mutual friend, they've hugged me and we've talked and I've had an arm left around me and plenty of "Unhuhs" said to me as I have to admit I've rambled....The recent encounter sounded too familiar for comfort for me :)

I think Cain's dead in the water; Silverfiddle's right; only a Democrat could survive this because the noise wouldn't be so loud for him.
By the way, did any of you hear about anybody asking Clinton to do a lie detector like they've mentioned for Cain? Just wonderin'.

The mainstream media ought to be ashamed but they're ridin' high...DID IT AGAIN!

Nobody could botch a presidency like Obama is, it's sad that Americans won't have the chance for a man like Cain to take over. But, if you're into socialism and lies, VOTE OBAMA. good luck

Z said...

Malcom: "according to her...according to her.." :-)
Ya, and if you want to believe her, why NOT believe her, right?

I wonder why she got Allred and who's paying the million minimum Allred demands. rough to say,

Finntann said...

"However, this is also about multiple accusations"

Wm Allin saith that on the 1'st of march att night he heard a strange noyse not usually heard, and so continued for many times so that hee was afrighted and coming nearer to it he there saw a strange and unuseall beast lying on the Grownd so that goeing up to it the s'd Beast vanished away and in the s'd place starte up 2 or 3 weemen and flew from mee not after the manner of other weemen but swiftly vanished away out of our sight which weemen wee took to bee Sarah Good Sarah Osburne and Tittabe the time was a bout an hour within night and I John Hughes saith the same beeing in Company then w'th s'd allin. as wittness our hands.

Witness Testimony,
Salem Witch Trials.

Are we so different from our 17th Century ancestors?

Anonymous said...

No comments on yesterday's elections eh? Nice to see the voters wake up and give a resounding NO to the draconian and crazy polices of the GOP yesterday. Way to go Ohio and Mississippi! Walker is next. Go OWS! Obama 2012!

Ducky's here said...

Rethugs got pretty much nailed yesterday.

What the fringe right doesn't realize is that you can only push so far. You can only try giving normals the Full Ayn Rand for a short time before they catch on and push back.

The Baggers are failing everywhere you look. Their presidential candidates consist of a sleaze, a drunk and a crazy woman. That doesn't even include L'il Ricky.

The country is pushing back and will continue to do so.

Malcolm said...

Z: I don't know whether to believe the women or Mr. Cain. Based on what we know so far, I don't see how anyone can say for sure who's lying and who isn't.

Anonymous said...

So why did he pay tens of thousands of dollars in settlements if he was innocent?

Malcolm said...

Liberal Dude: That's a good question and it's one I've asked myself. I've heard the argument that settlements occur because it's easier and quicker, not because the accusations are true. Maybe, maybe not. If I was Cain and was innocent, there's no way I would have settled. I don't care if the amount was a penny.

Silverfiddle said...

Liberaldude and Ducky: The same Ohioans who voted to allow public sector unions to continue raping them also resoundingly kicked Obamacare to the curb, so it was a mixed bag at best.

Liberaldude: Your question about the settlements is studiously ignorant. Please go waste someone else's time. These paltry amounts get paid out all the time because it's easier that going to court and having all the negative publicity.

In fact, I'd turn the question around on you: If he was so damned guilty, why didn't the women refuse the settlement, hire a fire-breathing Gloria Allred and take him and the Restaurant Association to court?

Silverfiddle said...

You know, Malcolm, many liberals talk a good game about being "fair minded" and "bridging cultural gaps" all that, but I think you may be one of the rare ones that is actually sincere about it...

I give you props for featuring a conservative blogger at your blog Diversity Ink

98ZJUSMC said...

In fact, I'd turn the question around on you: If he was so damned guilty, why didn't the women refuse the settlement, hire a fire-breathing Gloria Allred and take him and the Restaurant Association to court?

Exactly. Bill Kurtis, formerly of WBBM-TV Ch2 Chicago, stated that he seemed to think that the roles were actually reversed with Bialek as the initiator, if you will. He also said that there is a lot more to this and will be coming out shortly. Both public accusers have a long history of goldigging, bankruptcies, repeated claims, etc.

However, throwing crap on the wall usually sticks to any varying degree. That's why the lefties go so orgasmic when they play it. It's like opiated play-dough.

FWIW - A friend of mine in Ohio is firmly convinced that if the police and fire fighters were left out of that initiative, it would have passed. Who knows.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the Salem With trial reference, Finntann.

That sad series of events prove that horse shit coupled with the calumny of a gaggle of crazed, power-mad cunts are not only recklessly foolish and unjust they are often lethal.

Worse yet are "men" in power who fail to put these foul elements in prison for disturbing the peace if nothing else, and al,ow them to do their worst.

I don't believe in coincidences. This mass eruption of bilious bitches at JUST this time couldn't possibly be anything BUT a deliberately planned, unprincipled political coup.

If Gorier Allmad is mixed up in it, it has to be an exercise based in rottenness and corruption. That creature -- and all her savage kind -- should head the FBI's Public Enemies list.

~ FreeThinke

98ZJUSMC said...

liberaldude said...
So why did he pay tens of thousands of dollars in settlements if he was innocent?


He, being Cain paid out nothing. The settlement you refer to was done by the NRA, no the other one, without Cain's knowledge.

Try again.

98ZJUSMC said...

The Baggers are failing everywhere you look.

Just keep right on.

Anonymous said...

What happened in Ohio is a tragedy. Citizens effectively signing their own economic death warrant. That's how deeply ingrained the pernicious influence of Cultural Marxism has become.

"Under the spreading chestnut tree
Where I sold you, and you sold me ..."


DOW down more than SIX-HUNDRED POINTS this week so far.

Aren't you SICK and TIRED of being FUCKED?

The streets are beginning to run red with the blood dripping steadily from American asses.

Untreated anemia can kill.

~ FreeThinke

Anonymous said...

BTW, the only "dog" in today's picture is that Teresa Heinz Kerry lookalike in the foreground.

Despite our near perfect weather, and having thoroughly enjoyed a wonderful matinee performance at the local opera house today in politics is just DISGUSTING.

It really looks as though Western Civilization has become moribund. The suicidal impulse has become epidemic.

~ FreeThinke

98ZJUSMC said...

Rethugs got pretty much nailed yesterday.

If you can tear yourself away from MSLSD for a moment, Mr. Matthews, consider:


In Virginia, Republicans won 68 state house seats, a super majority and will now effectively control the state senate. In Mississippi, Republican Phil Bryant made history, becoming the first Republican to ever succeed another Republican in the governor's mansion.

Also:

Republicans in Mississippi may have won the state house, too. Such a thing has not happened since Reconstruction. A voted ID bill also passed. Ohio supported, with a 66% majority, a constituional ammendment banning the mandating of buying health insurance. This seems to lead some credence to my friends contention about the CB reform bill.

Ducky's here said...

DOW down more than SIX-HUNDRED POINTS this week so far.
------

Dollar cost average into quality dividend paying stocks, shift some into cash and put some in high yield bonds (not Greek, not that high yield). Not a problem.

Ducky's here said...

Hey GI Joe, the left doesn't particularly care if Obamacare goes down. In fact many wish it had been declared unconstitutional because that would have cleared a path for single payer and gotten rid of this insurance company giveaway.

Z said...

Malcolm, Cain didn't settle...the NRA did.
You said above that we can't tell who's lying but your previous comments sure told us something else.

As for Cain, it's dawning on many that the only times women have come forward have been during his short stint at the NRA. Odd that a man who seems to be a serial harasser seems not to have harassed during his stints at Godfather and other companies...that's a lot of years. really odd.

Malcolm said...

Silverfiddle: Thanks. I think it's important to hear what the other side has to say. Although I rarely agree with them, it does cause me to view issues with an even more critical eye than I already did. To me, we do ourselves a disservice if we only stick with news media, blogs, etc. that support our point of view.

Z: I'm well aware that it was the NRA (not Cain) who settled. I made the computer keyboard version of a slip of the tongue. If you want to make a big deal out of that, have at it. Also, what exactly did my previous comments tell you?

Z said...

Malcolm, I wasn't implying that you weren't aware the NRA settled; what I'm saying is that he had little to do with those settlements and it's companies which settle because they don't want to go through the time or expense of lawsuits for probably frivolous suits.
I don't believe in making 'big deals' out of a slip and don't even consider what you said a slip, just apparently not up on harassment lawsuits. (but I'll bet you'd make a BIG deal over Perry's slip last night you're hearing all about, right? :-)

As for what your previous comments tell me? They tell me you believe Cain is lying, of course.

Malcolm said...

Z or should I say Professor Kingsfield?: Although I don't have a law degree, I do know that companies normally handle settlements with little to no involvement on the part of the accused. Again, I committed a slip. I responded to the way Liberaldude phrased his question and made a mistake... no more, no less. I'm assuming Liberaldude also knows it wasn't actually Cain who paid the tens of thousands of dollars in settlement money.

Considering the fact that I used such phrases/words as "according to" and "if" when referring to Ms. Bialek's version of the story, it's a helluva a leap on your part to conclude that I believe Cain is lying. Outside of Cain and the accusers, I don't see how anyone can say w/o a doubt that one of the sides is or isn't lying.

Although you were asking in jest, I'll still answer your Rick Perry question. Calling what happened to him last night a "slip" is being kind. That was a brain freeze to me. Although it happens, it was bad no matter how anyone tries to spin it. Mitt Romney saying he was married for 25 years instead of 42... now that was a slip. :-)

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the friendly -- and very intelligent -- financial advice, Ducky.

I'm not bright enough to manage my own money, but those who do have done an excellent job these past ten years. Still, being the greedy Capitalist Pig I undoubtedly am, I find it frustrating that all we can do in the present economic climate is tread water.

Not losing very much is nowhere near as satisfying as making modest steady gains.

Real estate -- always a mainstay for me -- is now a real bummer.

Cheerio!

~ FreeThinke

Anonymous said...

To Whom It May Concern:

To make an atmosphere excrutiae
Keep on dwelling on minutiae.

The tendency to bicker
For mere self-justification
Makes participants feel sicker
Just from sheer aggravation.


~ FreeThinke