Herman Cain retreats from three-page bill promise

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Campaign 2012

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is interviewed by CBSNews.com's Brian Montopoli, June 8, 2011.

(Credit: CBS News)

In an interview with Hotsheet Wednesday, Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain retreated from his claim that he would only sign bills that are three pages or less.

After it was pointed out to him that defense appropriations bills, the Civil Rights Act, the Patriot Act and the Fair Tax proposal at the center of his economic policy all exceed three pages, Cain told CBSNews.com Senior Political Reporter Brian Montopoli, "Brian, that was an exaggeration."

"It was an exaggeration to drive home a point: I want short bills," he said. "...When they write a bill, I want them to address the particular topic that it is supposed to address. Because as you know, they have this habit in Washington DC of throwing everything including the kitchen sink in there in order to try to get it passed along with something that the other side might want."

Cain vowed to veto bills that included earmarks and said he would demand "clean bills."

"Yes they are going to be longer than three pages," he said. "But they are not going to be 2,700 pages that nobody read."

He also said he would insist every bill include an executive summary for the public "so that they will know what's in it."

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Watch the full interview:

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by Barbbtx June 10, 2011 10:47 AM EDT: The media consists of either a bunch of idiots or liars. Cain wants clean bills, not filled with ear marks. No more 2700 page bills no one reads! He was making a joke (exaggeration). I'm surprised those reporting on it aren't talking about how he should return his degree in mathmatics since he held up 5 fingers when he was talking about 3 pages.
Looks like he's making the left a little nervous already.
Go Cain!; Reply to this comment


by slatep June 9, 2011 2:36 PM EDT: I get the point.!!

Too bad Congress and the Senate don't.

It should be made a rule that any Bill presented for consideration deal with the primary topic only.

Just think of the amount of money this would save taxpayers if "pork" could be eliminated entirely.

Bills that are hundreds or thousands of pages long (ex: the health care Bill)would stop Obama from DICTATING to the American people
what they can and can't do and eliminate such clauses as fines, taking your assets without recourse and forcing Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid recipients to receive less and pay more.

Obama is the worst President the US has ever had.; Reply to this comment


by obsidi June 9, 2011 10:12 AM EDT: He cant retreat on a promise he never made! Go rewatch the first video again. It was the socialist media like cbs that wrote the text as joining those two parts of the sentance, not herman cain. I think its clear to anyone watching the VIDEO of what he said that the 3 pages was a SUGGESTION, not a pledge that he would never sign anything longer then 3 pages.; Reply to this comment


by ajvw June 9, 2011 7:42 AM EDT: five stories on cBS attacking Cain. I guess the nobama media considers him a threat. meanwhile...; Reply to this comment


by davidd5063 June 9, 2011 6:43 AM EDT: "Exaggerations to make a point" are reserved for those who do NOT rely on a steady stream of right-wing misinformation propoganda to communicate, but rather use factually based arguments, to SUPPORT their points. As it stands, just another lie from the party of lies and NO CREDIBILITY!; Reply to this comment


by cbsnacilbuper June 9, 2011 6:22 AM EDT: Don't let these liberals push you around. All those bills could have been reduced to three pages if you took out the bull$hit.

Cain is Able, Hope for Change in 2012!; Reply to this comment