Herman Cain’s plan to win the White House went down in a fiery explosion of sexual harassment charges and forgotten wars, but that doesn’t mean all his plans to come to Washington are over.
Now that he’s no longer running for president, Cain has resumed running for Secretary of Defense, a quest he first started the last time it was clear to everyone he wasn’t going to win the Republican nomination.
Speaking with Barbara Walters this week, Cain explained that he’d like to be in charge of the Defense Department, should he ever get a chance at a cabinet slot.
“I could influence rebuilding our military as it should be, that would be a task I would consider undertaking,” he said.
Walters was visibly shocked at Cain’s suggestion he should be Defense Secretary, as Jon Stewart noted about 50 times Wednesday night.
But close observers of Cain will remember this is no fluke. Cain really does want Leon Panetta’s job. Way back in early November, Cain told conservative radio host Michael Savage — best known recently for offering Newt Gingrich $1 million to drop out — asked Cain about a cabinet job in a potential Republican administration he (perish the thought) wasn’t running as president. Cain again looked to the Pentagon.
“That could be the one that I could be excited about,” Cain said. “to help the generals and commanders on the ground to get what they need, to do what they do best, and that is kick the you-know-what out of everyone in the world.”
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