Somebody Liked Cain’s Awful Pick-Up Lines?

UPDATE: Multiple outlets report Herman Cain is “reassessing” his campaign in the wake of these latest allegations, while continuing to deny them. Developing.

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It seems to us the real story of the latest revelations about short-lived GOP presidential frontrunner Herman Cain’s sex life–this latest story about alleged success as opposed to caddish failure–might be getting lost in the pearl-clutching. Los Angeles Times:

Herman Cain, whose status as a GOP presidential front-runner had already been rocked by allegations of sexual harassment, denied Monday that he’d had a 13-year, consensual affair with an Atlanta businesswoman.

Ginger White told Atlanta local news station WAGA-TV that she had a sexual relationship with Cain that began in the late 1990s when he was president of the National Restaurant Assn. The affair ended shortly before he jumped into the presidential race this year, she said, but their friendship had continued…

White’s account was starkly at odds with Cain’s. “It was pretty simple,” she told WAGA-TV. “It wasn’t complicated. I was aware that he was married. And I was also aware that I was involved in a very inappropriate situation, relationship.”

According to a report on the station’s website, White said she came forward because someone who knew her had contacted various media outlets about the affair. “I wanted to give my side before it was thrown out there and made out to be something filthy,” she told WAGA-TV reporter Dale Russell.

So, allegations of sexual harassment are certainly fair game in a presidential campaign, but we really don’t care what Herman Cain may or may not have consensually engaged in with a woman he wasn’t married to–although in a GOP primary virtue contest it certainly would not help him if true. Particularly among Republican women, who have both strong feelings about marital fidelity and a statistically high ownership rate for rolling pins and cast-iron skillets.

It is perhaps noteworthy, if these and the more serious allegations are borne out as factual, that somebody was indeed seduced by Cain’s charming segue of “You want a job, right?” Much like the Lorena Bobbit spectacle, it seems like a good moment for personal reflection. Gentlemen, never treat ladies this way. Ladies, never reward it.

At some point, probably soon, we’ll be writing our final post about Herman Cain. For now, this is as close to TMZ as a political blog is allowed to get, so enjoy it while you can.