Presidential candidate Herman Cain meets College Station voters

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Published Friday, October 07, 2011 12:02 AM

By MATTHEW WATKINS
matthew.watkins@theeagle.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Herman Cain’s book signing in College Station was originally scheduled, he was a fringe presidential candidate struggling to attract attention.

But since then, the former pizza executive has shocked pundits and politicians by winning a Florida straw poll and rising in the national polls. And he arrived at Hastings on Wednesday as arguably one of the three front-runners in the Republican primary.

The lunchtime crowd that greeted him underscored his new status in the race. The line of hundreds hoping to shake his hand and have a book signed snaked all through the store. A Hastings manager said they sold out of all 530 copies of his book within minutes. And a gaggle of media — including one videographer from CNN — jostled for a chance to ask him questions.

Cain’s rise seems to have even caught him off guard. He said Wednesday that he arranged his book tour “long before my visibility rose in the polls.” Asked why he came to College Station, he answered frankly: “You have a very good bookstore here and a lot of people who want to buy books.”

But he said he also sees value in campaigning in Texas. The state doesn’t traditionally influence presidential primaries, but he said it may matter this time because of the frontloading of primary dates.

“There is an old saying, ‘Fish where you find the fish,’” he said in an interview. “There are a lot of delegates here in Texas and I don’t care if they come late or early. We want to make sure the people in Texas know that my message is about common-sense solutions.”

The crowd seemed excited about that message. Many attendees said they have followed Cain’s campaign for months, but were skeptical about his chances until recently.

“We liked [Mitt] Romney in the last election and have been supporting him for years, but when we heard about Cain we thought that he is the guy,” said Bryan resident David Watson, adding that he still wasn’t sure if he’d actually vote for Cain until the candidate’s recent momentum.

Watson attended the event with his wife, Nicole, and two kids. They squeezed their way to the front of the line and took a quick picture. Then they left, not wanting to wait to get a book signed.

“I just wanted to see him in person,” Nicole Watson said.

Others came to see a man who has been prominently in the news.

“The opportunity to see someone running for president is a big deal,” said Texas AM student Joey Cramer. “I have seen Obama in person, both Bushes and now, if [Cain] wins, that makes four out of the last five presidents.”

Cramer stood with a friend at the back of the line. He said Cain’s rise in the polls likely had something to do with the crowd.

“If that guy from Indiana was here, the crowd probably wouldn’t be as big,” he said.

Cain gave no speeches at the event and attendees were rushed through the line to accommodate everyone. Most had no opportunity to interact with the candidate other than a quick handshake. He signed for about an hour and then moved on — next on his schedule was a signing in The Woodlands.

Some pundits have questioned Cain’s choice to embark on a book tour while his campaign has so much momentum. Cain said Wednesday that he can do both, sign books and politick.

He noted that his name recognition is still only around 50 percent. His book, This is Herman Cain, and accompanying tour will help raise that number, he said.

He said he knows he has to work hard to avoid being just “the flavor of the week,” but is confident in his chances.

“That is because this flavor has substance,” he said. “I am the solutions candidate and that is why I believe we have staying power.”

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Article source: http://www.theeagle.com/local/CS-crowd-attests-to-Cain-s-rapid-rise--6701147