Herman Cain: "I am the Koch brothers' brother"

file,AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain embraced the controversial Koch brothers at a speech at an Americans for Prosperity (AFP) conference Friday, telling a cheering crowd: "I am the Koch brothers' brother from another mother."

Cain made the comments in response to a New York Times story Friday discussing Cain and his campaign manager Mark Block's ties to Americans for Prosperity, the conservative advocacy group co-founded and funded in part by David and Charles Koch, the wealthy businessmen who've become targets of the left for their political activity.

Block led the Wisconsin branch of AFP, and Cain and many of his top staffers have worked for the group. (Cain spearheaded its "Prosperity Expansion Project" in 2005.) An outside lawyer is examining whether Prosperity USA, a tax-exempt group founded by Block and reportedly partially funded by AFP groups, illegally subsidized Cain's presidential run.

In his remarks Friday, Cain referenced the Times story, saying the newspaper "tries to make a case of how close the Koch brothers and I are."

"I'm proud to know the Koch brothers," he said. He then seemed to somewhat play down his ties to them, suggesting the newspaper falsely implied he went skiing and golfing with the brothers, before embracing them even more strongly.

"This may be a breaking news alert for the media: I am the Koch brothers' brother from another mother," Cain said to enthusiastic applause. "Yes. I'm their brother from another mother. And proud of it. You see the reason that I'm running for president is that I want to unite the United States of America, not divide it."

Last month, Cain told CNN: "I know the Koch brothers. I don't have a close relationship, but I know them and respect them, and they know me and respect me."

Cain did not address the sexual harassment allegations that have engulfed his campaign this week in his remarks, which other than the Koch brothers comments largely matched his standard stump speech. He received a far more enthusiastic reception from the crowd at the conference than Mitt Romney, who spoke before Cain took the stage.

At the start of his remarks, Cain quipped: "Before I get started, I want to know whose teleprompters these are because I don't need them." The crowd applauded wildly; criticism of President Obama for using teleprompters is popular in conservative circles. But Cain's comments this time were a (possibly inadvertent) reference to Romney, who had read from the teleprompters during his remarks.

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[dencal26]

Koch family has created more jobs in American than Obama. America needs 1000 more Entrepreneurs like them.

[mzhi808]

Dear Idiot, The "Crotch" brothers created jobs for the rich people, taken away jobs from the real people. This stupit cain is a NIGHT MARE FROM ELMS STREET. Dumb as heck.

[BryanSciver]

I don't think he should be bragging that he is a brother of the Koch Brothers. They have an oil supply industry which is supporting Iran which is an international terrorist state. We all know the Koch Brothers created the Tea Party so they could buy elections, get the poor and middle class to work hard so they could pay the tax money that they super rich should be paying.

[mzhi808]

right on the money!

[David_from_San_Diego]

Hey everybody: I heard a preacher in a sermon once say:

"I wish politicians were like race car drivers ... that they had the names of their sponsors written all over their clothing. Instead of Valvoline and STP, they would have the names of all the unions, corporations and interest groups who sponsor them."

Maybe Cain is starting a new trend by actually identifying his "sponsors". So now Obama can admit that his "sponsors" are Bill Ayers and the Weather Underground, SEIU, and MoveOn.org. Maybe now Romney can admit that his "sponsor" is Goldman Sachs. And maybe Perry can admit that his "sponsors" are Mexico, the United Race ("La Raza Unida"), and the Chicano Student Movement of Aztlan ("Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan", a/k/a "MEChA").

[realist2010]

I'm just guessing, but you're running low on tin foil. Am I close?

[CNH]

By any chance, is Herm's middle name "Lackey"?

[Guitfiddel]

Hermy Humper, is a lying, Right Wing PERVO-TOKEN! lol...

[saturn05]

This man Cain is an idiot. The Koch brothers are evil and stand for everything that is against the average citizen. They care only about the super rich. Cain is going down.

[euge005]

Cain is not an idiot, Bash was an igiot. He has no more qualification for public office than Palin or Bachman. His real qualification is that he will faithfully do what his owners at Koch Industries tell him to do. Only a 1%'er would support the disgrace.

[coloradoproud]

But Cain's comments this time were a (possibly inadvertent) reference to Romney, who had read from the teleprompters during his remarks.


Please explain how these comments, if inadvertant (defined as unintentional), could possibly be a referance to Romney. Or are you saying these were"off the cuff remarks", and as such were a gaffe?

[RobAla]

We have wall to wall coverage in the media of two anonymous accusers (who don't want to talk about it) of harassment charges against a black conservative. In the 1990's, there were 3 women (Paula Jones, Anita Broderick, and another whose name I can't recall) openly filing charges of SEXUAL ASSAULT AND RAPE against President Clinton - and the media gave little credence to their complaints. The media brushed off Jones as being "trailer trash", and basically ignored the other two.

What is wrong with this picture? The media does what it can to select our Presidents for us, and the media has unbelievable power to do so. Whether any charges against Herman Cain are true, the media has decided to attempt to push him from the ballot box.

[euge005]

Whatever the result in the case of Clinton, he was a very goof President and well qualified to be President. He was Moderate and nbalanced. The allegations agaibnst him were fully vetted and if their was no coverage of some of them it would not have been without Faux News trying very hard to get something to stick. They made up stuff when there was nother else. You memory seems defective. Now it is Cain's turn to be vetted and he does poorly, a rank amatur. The ****** and Russians would eat this clown for breakfast.

[nancy_naive]

Well, at least he's told you who he's working for.

I can only imagine what the Koch's said upon hearing this...

[realist2010]

...throw him in the tank that has sharks with laser beams on their heads.

[nycnikato]

They said Obama was Grandstanding when he went to Germany before even getting the Democratic Nomination. Very Soon you will see Herman Cain stepping presumptively into his role. When he meets with Karzai, and the Queen of England, people will start to see what is going on.