Romney, Cain still even in Republican race: poll
A new poll shows presidential frontrunners Mitt Romney and Herman Cain still in a statistical tie, although the survey was taken before an explosive press conference at which a new accuser said the former pizza executive groped her. The survey Tuesday by the Wall Street Journal and NBC television found that 28 percent of registered voters planning to vote in the Republican primary supported Romney, while 27 percent said they favoured Cain. The Georgia businessman — already fending off a string of sex harassment claims — faced new allegations Monday from the only one of his alleged victims willing so far to come out publicly. At a packed New York press conference, Sharon Bialek accused Cain of groping her while she met with him in 1997 hoping he would help her find a job.
Bialek is the fourth woman in little more than a week to level charges of sexual impropriety against Cain, although none of the others would come forward with their claims. While the poll did not take public reaction to Bialek’s claim into account, it was taken amid the week-long furore surrounding the African-American businessman and Baptist minister in relation to the three other sexual harassment charges. Cain for his part, has dismissed all of the allegations, and counter punched that Bialek is motivated by a desire for financial gain. Meanwhile, Romney — like Cain a successful businessman before entering politics — has been tipped by many experts to be the likely eventual Republican nominee.
So far, however, Romney has failed to excite conservative voters who form a decisive bloc of the Republican base. His poll numbers for weeks have been stuck in the mid-to-high 20s, with little indication that a broader cross-section of the Republican electorate is willing to give him their support. The NBC/Wall Street Journal poll of 1,000 adults found that former House speaker Newt Gingrich, now with 13 percent support, has slipped ahead of Congressman Ron Paul and Texas Governor Rick Perry, each of whom garnered 10 percent. US lawmaker Michele Bachmann polled four percent support, while former US senator Rick Santorum got two percent. Jon Huntsman, the former governor of Utah, had less than one percent support.
I have to admit, I was very surprised when I heard her allegations. I expected something a little less obvious. I can’t imagine something like that happening myself. There are two sides to every story though and you are innocent until proven guilty. I remember the nineties as being THE DECADE of sexual harrassment law suits. As a general rule, CEO’s, powerplayers and Presidents need to control their wallets and their equipment because as we have all witnessed, there are very serious consequences. Look at where John Edwards is now compared to where he was before he met that dingbat. Not worth it.