(ThyBlackMan.com) I haven’t said much about the GOP’s Great Black Hope Herman Cain. The CEO of Godfather’s Pizza — of which surprisingly there is one in Jacksonville, Florida — doesn’t really impress me. At first look my race baiting instincts wanted to call him an Uncle Tom. At first listen in a debate where he explained his 9-9-9 plan, I thought catchy and viable. Now that the man’s won two straw polls in a row including Florida’s, I’m wondering if I should not have quickly dismissed the Morehouse alum as just another fool candidate that would never have the viability of actually taking the White House. Isn’t that the same thing they said about Barack? How hypocritical of me.
So I’m wondering, with new poll numbers putting Mr. Cain at a two to Mitt Romney’s one, would it be plausible to say if somehow Herman Cain ekes out a victory over the electable Mitt Romney to win the nomination that Black Americans would be forced to accept that this is what post-racial America looks like.
It’s a scary thought. 
This America that we live in, in the three years since President Obama’s election has been anything but post-racial. Just ask yanked Hank Williams. But if a Black Man can appeal to what many widely consider a racist fringe group i.e., the Tea Party, as well as Independents, Fiscally Conservative Republicans, and Blacks and Whites alike is he not the definition of post-racial. I mean he isn’t conservative good ol’ boy Colin Powell (and by good ol’ boy I mean no disrespect) He isn’t a radicalized, liberalized, conked, TV show hosting and preaching Al Sharpton either. He isn’t a well spoken but Spock-like Obama, or missed opportunity Jesse Jackson. Herman Cain is a businessman, a graduate of an HBCU, widely regarded in conservative circles as the killer of Hillary care (at least according to his website he is) and can relay the message better than most candidates that the American Dream is still alive because he is living proof it still works.
Is Herman Cain a questionable candidate? Of course. Who can forget his statement that he would not appoint a Muslim to his Administration or as a Federal judge. His line of thought as pointed out in the linked article is the way some in this country used to and maybe still do think about him. It’s prejudicial. But in a time when America is more focused on winning National Security wars even if that means assassinating our own, than it is with the deterioration or improvement of Black, White, Brown race relations Herman Cain’s islamophobic statement does little to ruffle any feathers. In comparison Cain’s statement is nothing compared to Pastor Terry-I-Like-To-Burn-Korans-Jones.
So while Herman Cain is middle of the road compared to a Ron Paul, Michele Bachmann, or Rick Perry he is still more conservative than a moderate Mitt Romney or an as yet to announce Chris Christie. Herman Cain being Black only adds fuel to his electoral fire. As he’s noted he can criticize Obama without being called racist because he’s Black. He has business experience which I’m sure Wall Street and K Street like and he has enough support across several Republican bases that with a little more work and a good showing at another debate could very well push him over the edge.
If that happens, if Herman Cain is the nominee, does that mean we are way more post-racial than we thought? Or will the subtext of his candidacy be mired in a line of thinking that goes like this: “One Black man got us into this mess, may as well pick a different one to get us out of it?”
If Herman Cain is the candidate, no matter the reasoning behind him, it will most definitely mark another new day in American history. Two Black men running to run the country. No longer will the conversation be centered on birth certificates, a Kenyan Daddy, and an exotic upbringing but on the issues. I don’t care how you slice it, or which candidate you favor, you must admit that with race out of the picture our politicians could finally get down to doing the country’s business.
If only we could be so lucky.
Staff Writer; Nikesha Leeper
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