Herman Cain: 'I'm Not Supposed To Know Anything About Foreign Policy'

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain defended his foreign policy knowledge following a disastrous editorial board interview where he struggled to answer a question on Libya.

"I'm not supposed to know anything about foreign policy. Just thought I'd throw that out," he said to a Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reporter while on his campaign bus on Monday, the afternoon after his interview with the paper's editorial board. "I want to talk to commanders on the ground. Because you run for president (people say) you need to have the answer. No, you don't! No, you don't! That's not good decision-making."

The former Godfather's Pizza CEO struggled to answer a question on Libya for about five minutes. He repeated that he would have "assessed the [Libyan] opposition differently" without saying how exactly his approach would have been different from President Barack Obama's. Cain also gave confusing answers on collective bargaining.

Cain told the board that he offered the position of secretary of state to 88-year old Henry Kissinger, who had the job in the Nixon and Ford administrations. Kissinger turned him down.

Cain has made multiple foreign policy gaffes during his campaign. When asked whether he was ready for "gotcha" questions in early October, he said, "When they ask me who is the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan I'm going to say you know, I don't know. Do you know?" After the exchange, his campaign came up with a list of twenty foreign leaders for him to commit to memory.

The Huffington Post's Sam Stein reported that Cain's campaign manager, Mark Block, a longtime Wisconsin political operative, requested the interview Saturday.

Comments

[Hanover Fiste]

08:58 AM on 11/22/2011

Mission accomplished.

[Dancenownzen]

09:22 AM on 11/21/2011

He won't be the nominee or president of the united states why bother listening to him any more

[CharlieVer]

03:20 PM on 11/20/2011

The funniest one was when he said that he wants to prevent China from going nuclear... which, of course, they've been since the 1960s.

[WheelsOnFire]

01:34 PM on 11/19/2011

So, he's supposed to wait and get on-the-job-training after he becomes President?

That's like saying a surgeon isn't supposed to know anything about surgery before cutting open the patient.

[JadedLady2]

01:30 PM on 11/19/2011

Mr. Ubecki becki beck ibecki stan, time to go back to twirling pizzas.

[RLaitres]

09:59 AM on 11/19/2011

""I'm not supposed to know anything about foreign policy. Just thought I'd throw that out,"

At the very least, he should have an understanding of what it is, what it consists of, and what goes into the formulation of an intelligent one. Oh! Sorry! Perhaps he hasn't yet looked over the border and seen Russia or other countries to provide him with that "expertise".

[paulphotog]

07:40 PM on 11/18/2011

Hey, it's the good ol' USA where in theory, anybody, ANYBODY, can be president, and/or, if you have enough money, at least RUN for president, and/or if you have a big enough ego you figure you DESERVE to be president. And, you'd be damn good at it, too!

I really don't understand what the big deal is if most or even all of the candidates don't know ****.
A Great Nation deserves no less.

[dlmcons]

10:03 PM on 11/18/2011

Got that right! Just look at what we have now! lol

[JadedLady2]

01:32 PM on 11/19/2011

Yes, just look at what we had before the one we have now. That was a real prize.

[rpointdujour]

06:36 PM on 11/18/2011

I'm already over this guy. He's an embarrassment to the office for which he's pretending to run.

[l78lancer]

04:22 PM on 11/18/2011

Even if a leader relies on his managers to provide information,. background, suggestions recommendations, problem solving, etc., if the leader does not know the framework of the policy within which his orgainzation works - because he sets (or should set) the policy - the leader cannot make clear, cogent and definitive decisions. Whoever sets the policy is the leader of the organization. Coups occur because leaders have either delegated that responsibility or lost control of it.

That leader is destined to fail.

[l78lancer]

04:17 PM on 11/18/2011

Any leader who does not know his policies sets himself up to be undermined by anyone under him who has different objectives.

[RoninSRM]

09:14 AM on 11/18/2011

WE NEED A LEADER! NOT A READER!!!

Kind of says it all.

[Dancenownzen]

09:24 AM on 11/21/2011

And Cain "ain't it"

[beherenow54]

04:17 PM on 11/17/2011

Herman Cain has always been, and will continue to be, a nonstarter. He's only had his run in the sun because no one wants to vote for Romney. Now Cain is done and Newt can have the spotlight for awhile.

[knott wrench]

05:56 PM on 11/19/2011

Please don't forget about his "Book Tour".

And his request for Secret Service assistance, I think is to "Flatter his Ego" and Boost Book sales again.

[Tater Salad]

03:45 PM on 11/17/2011

Seems like Herman doesn't know much of anything.

[TXfemmom]

01:34 PM on 11/17/2011

The man thinks he isn't supposed to know anything about foreign policy and thinks all foreign policy is formed by the military men or boots? Geez, please save us from this man.

[handymanrcs]

02:08 PM on 11/17/2011

Obama didn't know about foreign policy either,yet I guess he gets a free ride

[AdamWest1313]

11:44 PM on 11/17/2011

Seriously? That's your comeback?

When did Obama say he didn't need to know anything about it?

[AdamWest1313]

08:14 PM on 11/19/2011

handymanrcs
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Become a fan
22 hours ago (9:58 PM)
Yes your right. I read alot of your comments to other people and didn't see any facts to back you up. I'm not saying you don't ,but prove to me that the media isn't bias. It was fun.
=====================

Were you never taught what the burden of proof is, or who it lies with? YOU made the claim, so YOU have to prove, and YOU have to provide evidence. Something you still have not been able to do.

[DennyCrane]

01:31 PM on 11/17/2011

How did this clown ever get to be a CEO? He takes pride in being ignorant. No wonder tea baggers like him so much.