So, we’re told, there are now five women accusing Herman Cain of sexual harrassment, although the two latest are the only ones who have a name, date, place, and detailed account.
Sharon Bialek of Chicago today gave high-profile interviews saying that Cain implied with a touch and innuendo that a sexual favor would help her get a job. Accompanied by celebrity attorney Gloria Allred, she appeared on (at least) ABC and NBC this morning. One or both of the interviews were prerecorded because I saw the ABC interview and immediately changed the channel to NBC and saw almost the identical interview again.
In fact what I heard on NBC had Ann Curry asking almost identical questions and getting virtually identical answers as I had heard moments before with ABC’s George Stephanopolis. Here’s an example.
ABC: “Cain is also…saying that you [Gloria Allred] are a long-time Democratic activist”. Allred: “Just recently I held a news conference in New York against Congressman Anthony Weiner and my client said he should resign.” (video interview)
NBC: “Here is another question being raised by the right… is this a politically motivated effort on your behalf?” Allred: “Absolutely not. the last big news conference I did in New York was against Congressman, Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner. My client said he should resign…” (transcript).
Wow! Is there an echo in here? Did Stephanopolis and Curry get the same script?
For his part, Cain insists in the strongest terms possible that he has never heard of or met Ms. Bialek. In his news conference, he was categorical, stating that he “rejects” the accusations and that he has “never harassed anybody.”
Some of the questions in both interviews were obviously calculated to enhance Bialek’s (as well as Allred’s) credibility, as when Stephanopolis established that she is registered as a Republican.
Without recounting the checkered employment and legal history of Ms. Bialek, it’s obvious that somebody’s lying. If it’s Cain, he has left himself no wiggle room whatever, which seems to me a pretty strong position, unless the facts don’t back him up.
If it’s the women who have been put up to making false accusations, it can only demonstrate how absolutely scared to death the Democrats are that an African-American conservative is getting a hearing.
