Mark Block, the chief of staff for Herman Cain and star of unconventional campaign Web video — in which he pumps up supporters, and then smokes a cigarette with the sort of tough-guy look that people see in the movies — was asked about the video during an appearance Tuesday afternoon on Fox News.
“The message behind the ad was to our supporters that we’re on a roll, we’re excited about what’s happening,” Block told Megyn Kelly. “There was no subliminal message — in fact, I personally would encourage people not to smoke. It’s just that I’m a smoker, and as a lot of the people on the staff said, ‘just let Block be Block.’
“That’s what it was all about — to tell people that the Cain message is resonating across America, whether it’s 9-9-9, or whether it’s the new opportunity zones rollout in Detroit last week. The campaign’s on a roll, and the momentum’s with us, and we want people to get involved.”
Megyn Kelly then offered a somewhat melodramatic explanation of why the Cain campaign might have used the imagery.
“Were you trying to appeal to, you know, folks who are out there, you know, living ‘real lives’ — you know, workin’ the farm, workin’ in Detroit, that kind of thing? As opposed to the East and West Coast elite people in media circles [pointing to herself], who shun smoking and, you know, sort of [briefly pumps her fists] ‘real American’ things?”
Block then responded.
“Well I tell you, you walk into a veterans bar in Iowa, and they’re sitting around smoking. And you know, yeah, we are resonating with them,” said Block. “You know, I’m not the only one that smokes in America for god’s sake. It’s a choice that I’ve made, and it was at the end of the ad.
“But the real message we’re trying to get through was, the Cain Train is on a roll. And we encourage people to go to HermanCain.com. Get involved, help us take this country back. I think the Cain message is resonating with Main Street America, and it’s obvious by the poll results.”
