Exciting news from Florida in Saturday's presidential straw poll, as The Hill reported:
Herman Cain pulled off a shocking upset victory in Florida’s Presidency 5 Straw Poll on Saturday. The Georgia businessman won more votes than the Republican primary's frontrunners -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney -- combined.
(courtesy of the St. Petersburg Times)
In a video released minutes after the results, Cain told supporters, “Folks, this is what you call momentum. The Herman Cain Train is picking up steam.”
An Ebb and Flow has written several observations on Herman Cain since his entry into the presidential race, mentionably "Raisin' Cain" and "How we Cain work it out", as well as agreeing with the astute observations of Aaron Goldstein from The American Spectator, who projected Cain to be the man to break out, if anyone could. As Tony Lee of Human Events put it, "Businessman Herman Cain re-introduced himself to America and was substantive, inspirational, and personable, and his stock improved more than any other candidate's after the debate." Indeed.
Cain's down-to-earth demeanor and conservative principled message is resonating with voters, some of whom were already on the train, but many of whom are especially exhausted with the media attention given to the deemed frontrunners and, in Florida's case, prefer the genuinely refreshing debate performance of this man with a plan.
Just take this exchange for example:
Of course the detractors of both Romney and Perry camps are playing damage control; and likewise, the Establishment types continue to decry Cain as a 'joke' and 'not serious' (not quite as harsh, but nevertheless reminiscent of the liberal declarations of 'oreo' or 'uncle tom'). I would contend the assertion that only those of proper political breed, who have had a hand in every part of the economic, social and moral abyss our nation finds itself at the precipice of, are the only able-bodied beings to get us out of this debacle is assuredly unserious.
Who's to say if Cain's bump will last, but it does point to a defining moment in this primary season when at least one group of people from one state decided to look beyond pure politics and embrace the common sense of Principle.
