White House Spox: GOP Debate Made Me ‘Pine For’ Herman Cain

White House press secretary Josh Earnest speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015. Earnest answered questions about President Barack Obama's decision to leave more tr... White House press secretary Josh Earnest speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015. Earnest answered questions about President Barack Obama's decision to leave more troops in Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) MORE LESS

White House spokesman Josh Earnest was unimpressed by what he saw at Thursday’s Fox Business presidential debate, and said it made him pine for passed-over GOP candidates of election years past.

“I never thought I’d pine for the days of Herman Cain, but at least he had a 9-9-9 plan,” Earnest said during Friday’s press briefing. “Next to all these guys on the stage last night, Herman Cain looked like a policy wonk.”

Cain—a pizza magnate who rode a tea party wave to a short-lived lead in the 2012 Republican contest—was known for his 9-9-9 tax plan. The scheme involved replacing the current tax code with a 9-percent business transactions tax, a 9-percent personal income tax, and a 9-percent federal sales tax.

His run came to a swift end in late 2011 after he faced multiple allegations of sexual abuse, which he later claimed were masterminded by the devil.

The debate Thursday was hosted on a business network, but covered a wide variety of topics ranging from immigration policy to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)’s eligibility to serve as president.

Earnest said he was underwhelmed by the 2016 Republican field’s lack of clearly articulated policies.

“Unfortunately, I did watch part of the debate last night. I regretted it deeply,” he said. “I don’t think the President made that same mistake.”

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  1. I just LOVE seeing him with a smile on his face ! ! —

  2. I love hearing the Republicans brag about how they have such a deep bench and yet not one of those clowns on stage last night - not one of them - is fit to be president. (Kasich could maybe be Deputy Sec of Energy, something where he cant really do too much harm).

  3. Avatar for bkmn bkmn says:

    They are the best candidates right wing money can buy.

  4. “Next to all these guys on the stage last night, Herman Cain looked like a policy wonk.”

    It must be fun being the WH spokesman in the last year of the Obama admin.

  5. Avatar for dnl dnl says:

    CrooozeBeckiBeckiBecki-stan

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