Herman Cain Clarifies Rick Perry 'Insensitive' Comments, Says He Wasn't Playing 'Race Card' (VIDEO)

Former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain clarified his comments Monday after calling Texas Gov. Rick Perry "insensitive" on "Fox News Sunday" when asked about a Washington Post report that the Perry family hunting camp once had the word "Niggerhead" painted on a large rock at its entrance.

"All I said was the mere fact that that word was there was ‘insensitive,'" he said to reporters outside the Trump Tower Monday after meeting with Donald Trump according to National Review. "That's not playing the race card. I am not attacking Gov. Perry. Some people in the media want to attack him. I'm done with the issue!"

Cain said Sunday, "There isn't a more vile, negative word than the 'n word,' and for him to leave it there as long as they did is just plain insensitive to a lot of black people in this country." Cain, the only African-American in the Republican presidential primary, has been the only GOP candidate to comment on the rock so far.

His comments angered several in conservative opinion media. Matt Lewis of The Daily Caller called his comments at best "premature" and at worst "highly irresponsible." "It was a cheap shot, and, perhaps is a signal that Cain is willing to play the race card against a fellow Republican when it benefits him," he wrote. Influential conservative blogger Erick Erickson wrote on RedState, "It also seems to be a slander Herman Cain is picking up and running with as a way to get into second place."

The Perry campaign responded to the revelations about the rock by saying that his father painted over the word shortly after leasing the land. "Mr. Cain is wrong about the Perry family’s quick action to eliminate the word on the rock, but is right the word written by others long ago is insensitive and offensive,” Ray Sullivan, communications director for Perry’s campaign, told The Washington Post. "That is why the Perrys took quick action to cover and obscure it."

Cain distanced himself further from his comments on Monday. "I really don't care about that word," he said. "They painted over it. End of story! I accept Gov. Perry's response on that."

Comments

[Di Gray]

07:18 PM on 10/05/2011

For those of you he ll bent on insisting on the "innocence" of the word n--g-rhead, here are some visuals of how it used to be represented back in the day.

If you don't see the racism in them, it's because you don't want to. It's undeniable:

Other uses...visual...racism all over them:

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRswEdg-AnvROeyUUVx-vQbt085uMd6lUJCSZqxs5CY-92gu1VS (notice the BLACK man on the label?)

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSHw09BZ_eN21gAKuTOWsWMnD8nlnwTlmApSCnI9KlF1BX4Q6SMaA (Notice the BLACK caricature? Do you see the racism yet?)

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQCLF5pd8HqEHdL44kUQjcdvtdsogZBO4_XeNNpmfcVvRXjlqE (See the golf ball sitting on the BLACK character's head...being represented as a tee?)

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQAz3FFrOAvk8dJXV5db5yewu778dQR81j9fmU4e8n76MECVQZKuQ (Do I REALLY have to say anything about that one?)

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSbl63wE0hZB2znkWAZduaww1GwujD1H9q5y7VNZ0jAtgBwipAT5Q (Notice the label?)

Hmmm...

[JRTapp]

09:48 PM on 10/09/2011

Thank you someone who can see clearly! Why the conservative media would even pick a fight with this is beyond me. I guess it is just a like Bill Maher.

[Fran04]

04:28 PM on 10/04/2011

African Americans take a look at this article. Cain voiced an opinion about the suitability of Governor Perry, because his family did not immediately remove a rock with an offensive word that was at the entry of their camp. Perry’s family allowed it to remain and only painted over the word when it was brought to their attention. (I have my own suspicion as to the motive for the painting, but I will not digress.). The “conservative” media instead of respecting Cain’s opinion or debating Perry’s action attacked Cain. The “conservative” media and supporters accused Cain of playing the “race” card. Hey, Perry is not racist and Cain is over reacting. By their action, they are saying that Cain should have been a "big Boy” and "suck it up". Republican candidates can say and do anything in regards to blacks and their integrity should not be question. Governor Perry and his family knew the hurt that this word cause and they ignore it. However, African American cannot express their outrage when it is used. Hmm, this reminds me of another time when people who were a different color than the majority was lynched, raped and killed at will and when they spoke out; they were accused of causing trouble. They were not being a “good ole boy”. Mr. Cain, you accused me of being brain-washed for not embracing the Republicans party. I am not “brain-washed”, but it seems that you are wearing “blinders”.

[Jimbo2001]

05:09 PM on 10/04/2011

This is obviously from an uneducated fool, trying to make more of this than is there. The conservative media, what little there is of it, did not attack Cain. When this story first came out, from the liberal ex-mainstream media, it was to jump on BOTH Perry and Cain. Conservative talk radio, the only conservative media, handled it very well. Fox present a bit of both "sides", and pretty much forgot about it as a very small thing. Every news report said that the origin of the offensive word was unknown, and that it was totaly unclear when or how it was removed, since the property did not belong to the Perrys.

[Jimbo2001]

05:27 PM on 10/04/2011

Fran, who brought it to their attention and caused them to remove the rock? You obviously know more about this story than anyone else, anywhere. The story in all the media (left-wing, conservative talk-radio, and Fox) was that it was unknow whether the perrys painted over it or got the owner to paint over it. They also said the rock and the word were there long before the Perrys ever went there, and that the rock is still there. You sound very sure of your story, so please tell us where you got this version.

[Sam Curcuro]

03:17 PM on 10/04/2011

This rock story is getting almost as important as the tortilla with the likeness of Jesus on it. Thousands flocked to see it! Now I have to go take a look at the rock myself!

[Jimbo2001]

03:46 PM on 10/04/2011

I love it when someone reads a story, then takes the time to comment on it by saying it is unimportant.

[jeneandrea]

03:01 PM on 10/04/2011

I also believe the n word to be vile, and negative, therefore I do not use it. But could someone explain to me how a word that is vile and negative to people of color is constantly used by people of color. I hear the word constantly when in the area of people of color, they call each other by it, I often hear one to another "hey N.... how you doin. I would say that the n word is used more than several times in any conversation between people of color. If it is so offensive to them why do they perpetuate it?

[arnlws67]

02:54 PM on 10/04/2011

Amazing how fast Cain is walking back his initial outrage. It's okay to be black and seeking the Republican nomination, but not to be black and have any memory of racism or inequality. He knows fat, old honkies won't vote for a black man they see as uppity.

[Jimbo2001]

05:04 PM on 10/04/2011

I don't know what you mean by uppity. Obviously you don't understand conservatives. We will ALWAYS vote for who we feel is the best candidate, irrespective of skin color. You libs don't understand that concept.

[walkerhds]

06:04 PM on 10/04/2011

Alf Landon and Bob Dole.... need we say more?

[Darrin Brown]

09:44 PM on 10/04/2011

You voted for George Bush Jr....

[Di Gray]

08:14 PM on 10/04/2011

Truth. I dig it.

[FlagAsAbusive]

02:39 PM on 10/04/2011

In other news the National Organization for Women plans to hold a protest to bring attention to the insensitivity of the town of Nags Head,NC

[fivehole84]

02:00 PM on 10/04/2011

Cain needs to be careful. Jesse and Al might try to sue for copyright infringement

[mekaylee]

02:00 PM on 10/04/2011

oh give me a break all you politians suck.you will let a fallon with a rap sheet out of jail time if he stoled money for his defense and hang an innocent man because he worked legit and didnt make enough money for his defense.

[arnlws67]

02:55 PM on 10/04/2011

Two words: spell check.

[captchess]

01:37 PM on 10/04/2011

I was sorry to see Cain even come close to using race in his campaign. I lost some respect for him.

[arnlws67]

02:57 PM on 10/04/2011

Can we for once look at the source? Cain didn't invent this story, he simply responded to it. That makes him the single member of the GOP pack at the moment who didn't exhibit their cowardice on this. Lose some respect for the Perry family, for Christ's sake.

[prestonsturges]

01:17 PM on 10/04/2011

Bicker! Bicker!

[hardday]

01:12 PM on 10/04/2011

You dunder heads wake up. When he was first posed the question by the liberal commentator he was asked in a way that made him think that the word was still recently diplayed after many years, so of course he responded correctly under that senario. Now he has been told the truth and understands and made it clear. Whats up with you guys trying to make something out of nothing. Only God can do that.

[Jamgrae]

01:05 PM on 10/04/2011

And by the way, Gov Christy just announched he was NOT going to run for the office of the presidency....that means the current republican field is all they have to offer. WHAT A SAD LOT.

[captchess]

01:36 PM on 10/04/2011

Any one of them will be better than Obama who has been the biggest failure since Carter.

[podom 1]

12:53 PM on 10/04/2011

CAIN NEEDS TO GET OFF OF RICK PERRY'S BACK...HE HAS MADE HIS POINT, NOW IT'S TIME FOR HIM TO MOVE ON. IS CAIN GOING TO BASE HIS CAMPAIGN ON "RACIAL" ISSUES OR MORE IMPORTANT THINGS SUCH AS THE ECONOMY. THIS CONVINCES ME THAT I SHOULD VOTE FOR SOMEONE ELSE OTHER THAN CAIN.

[Apelika]

01:39 PM on 10/04/2011

Sadly I do agree with you. I had been thinking of him as the best of the lot, but not now. He obviously did not know anything about the hunting camp, that it did not belong to Parry and or his family and that they had lesed it in the past and that the word had been there years and years and was not something that cameabout in the near present. To me the right answer would be....I have to check this out can I get back to you and then done the necessary research.

[lulu0510]

12:48 PM on 10/04/2011

Just think about the Presidents speech to the CBC! " Quit complaining, quit crying, quit bawling. Get moving , we've got work to do! " Sounds like the white man boss to me.

[Cakey4814]

12:40 PM on 10/04/2011

I love it. Cain is finding out that when the GOP/TeaParty wants his opinion they'll have Limbaugh or O'Reilly give it to him.