Even Cain’s Old Jokes Face Extra Scrutiny Now

By SUSAN SAULNY
NYT

It was another offhand joke by Herman Cain.

While answering a question at the Republican presidential debate Wednesday night, the candidate referred dismissively to Representative Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, as “Princess Nancy.”

His campaign sent the quip out on Twitter almost immediately, to drive home the point in case anybody had missed it. But the public response was not as the campaign might have expected.

“Ay yi yi,” said Dana Perino, a prominent Republican who served as White House press secretary for President George W. Bush, in a Twitter post. “Former Speaker Pelosi called a princess in the debate? Not fair. We may disagree on policy, but she earned the speaker title.”

Before the end of the night, Mr. Cain had apologized for the remark, calling it “a statement that I probably should not have made.”

(More here.)