Herman Cain's ideal presidential candidate

Some years ago Herman Cain told us who his ideal presidential candidate would be. It's worthwhile dredging up Cain's op-ed from 2006 because his background is so little known and this is a window into his thinking that most Americans can easily relate to.

And what does it tell us? That Herman Cain lacks any judgment. Cain argues that the Republican Party should cultivate Tiger Woods to run for president as soon as possible. Cain described Woods as his ideal candidate; the golfer's character and self-discipline would inevitably make him successful in solving all the problems that no actual politicians could fix. In retrospect it is of course ridiculous. But even in 2006 Cain's adulation of Woods would have seemed nauseating as well as dangerously simplistic.

Tiger will be 40 years old in 2016. The Republican Party should begin grooming him now for a run at the White House. His personal attributes and accomplishments on the golf course point to a candidate who will be a problem solver, not a politician.

Tiger's success on the golf course, which will translate to success in the White House, is a product of his character, discipline and leadership by example.

[snip]

If the Democrats maintain control of Congress and the presidency through 2016, the big issues of restructuring Social Security, replacing the tax code and instilling free market forces in the health care system will still not be fixed. If the Republican Party regains the majority in Congress and retains the presidency, there is no guarantee that they will have the courage to make bold changes. Only an outsider will possess the leadership and the conviction to tackle the big issues without regard for the polls, media spin or inane promises of bipartisanship.

Tiger Woods could be an inspiring figure for the country, the likes of which we have not seen since Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ronald Reagan.

It doesn't seem to have occurred to Cain to consider what if any relevant views, knowledge, or experience the rich athlete possessed. This is just the perennial portrait of (rich) non-politician [X] as political savior, which is so beloved of the silly and naive.

In this case, at least, subsequent events have invalidated Cain's assessment of Tiger Woods to such a degree that it's fair to say they demonstrate conclusively how little judgment Cain possesses.

h/t Jim Galloway

Update: Turns out that his op-ed was yet another thing Cain was simply 'joking' about.

"That was a joke, okay? Tiger - I - that was a joke," the presidential hopeful said. "Americans got to learn how to have a sense of humor, okay?"