Filed by KOSU News in US News.
December 3, 2011

He added 9-9-9 to the national lexicon and slipped lyrics from a Pokemon movie into his stump speeches. Now that Herman Cain has suspended his presidential campaign, we look back at just a few of its most memorable — and excruciating — moments:

1. His brain freeze on Libya. His editorial meeting with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Nov. 14 made for painful YouTube watching.

2. The “smoking ad.” Campaign manager Mark Block’s long cigarette drag followed by Cain’s own slow grin puzzled the political world. The “yellow flowers” ad was even more bizarre.

3. Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan. In an interview with David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network, Cain boasted about his readiness for the scrutiny of a national campaign. “I’m ready for the ‘gotcha’ questions and they’re already starting to come. And when they ask me who is the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan I’m going to say, ‘You know, I don’t know. Do you know?’ And then I’m going to say, ‘How’s that going to create one job?’”

4. “Princess Nancy.” After fending off allegations of sexual harassment, Cain bestowed this title on House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi during a Republican debate. It probably did not help his polling numbers with women. (He later apologized.)

5. Blame game. When faced with allegations of sexual harassment, Cain tried to shift the discussion to where the allegations had come from; he accused rival Rick Perry’s camp of leaking them and his chief of staff demanded an apology. The link was never substantiated. [Copyright 2011 National Public Radio]