Was Herman Cain the beneficiary of affirmative action programs?

[rfranklin]

while he claims he pulled himself up by his own bootstraps, does anyone believe that Herman Cain's rise through the corporate ranks was by merit alone?

Just like Eric Cantor who benefited from Social Security as he was growing up, and now wants to destroy it, Cain seems to be one of those who has amnesia about how he got where he is.

[Lint Head]

1. In his book he did affirm that he did what he was told by the bus driver while sitting on the bus.

Maybe that's why the racist right wing love him. He will do what the powerful whites that run the GOP tell him to do.

[108vcd]

2. In this society, you can never isolate yourself enough to credit yourself

with "pulling up your bootstraps"

We are all dependent on the whole in many many ways, regardless of programs like AA

[GeorgeGist]

3. According to his bio, his father worked 3 jobs to provide for his family.

I think that counts as affirmative action.

His claim of being a self-made man is a slap in his father's face; if you ask me.

[Cid_B]

5. A father working three jobs is not affirmative action...

... it is a wee bit ignorant however...

[Peregrine Took]

7. He could still have benefited himself in schools, jobs, etc. n/t

[RZM]

11. No it doesn't

I don't know much about Luther Cain's life, but I do know that affirmative action as we know it did not exist in the south back then.

[crim son]

4. He'd just claim he never needed it, if he did in fact benefit.

I don't know any rethug who doesn't believe s/he's the smartest, canniesst and most talented person in every room.

[Peregrine Took]

6. Was it Cantor or Paul Ryan who had the S.S. while growing up? Both? n/t

[rfranklin]

9. I think I made a mistake...it was Ryan...

Cantor was just raised as an asshole.

[JVS]

8. This is not a useful claim in the political sense.

Because generally it doesn't help to make claims about our political opponent that could be turned right around and and applied to our own candidate. It's especially not useful when making such intimations about our opponent's competence would get them to return the same accusation and then spark outrage on our own side, which would almost certainly happen, and I believe has happened already in the past.

[rfranklin]

10. It has already been used against Obama...

which is why I think it is amusing to apply it to Cain. It will aggravate the right wingers immensely.

[Nye Bevan]

12. Do you assume this about every successful black person?

If he preached against a program that he benefited from, that's a legitimate argument. But it's offensive to just assume that a successful black man could only have made it via affirmative action.

[rfranklin]

13. don't get your knickers in a twist...

it's a political point to be used against Cain just as it has been used against President Obama. The point is that it gets Cain supporters riled up, while most of Obama supporters, including myself don't give a shit.