Herman Cain tries to make lemonade from lemons

Herman Cain and his wife Gloria Cain arrive at a local campaign headquarters on December 3, 2011 to announce that he is suspending his campaign for the White House

/ Scott Olson/Getty Images

Commentary by CBSNews.com editor-in-chief Dan Farber

After weeks of dealing with allegations of sexual harassment and, more recently, some kind of long-term relationship with an Atlanta-based woman, as well as lackluster debate performances and concerns about his foreign policy credentials, it was clear that businessman and motivational speaker Herman Cain's quest for the presidency was heading for a cliff.

Poll numbers from a Des Moines Register survey of likely Iowa caucus-goers showed a drop from 23 percent to 8 percent in the last 30 days.

In suspending his campaign Saturday afternoon, Cain ended the suspense surrounding his troubled candidacy and heaped blame on the media for the "continued distraction" that led to his decision to abandon his presidential aspirations.

"I am suspending my presidential campaign because of the continued distraction, the continued hurt caused on me and my family, not because we are not fighters. Not because I'm not a fighter," Cain said, reiterating his position that all the allegations are untrue.

"These false and untrue allegations continue to spin in the media, and in the court of public opinion so as to create a cloud of doubt over me and the campaign and my family," he added. "It hurts my wife, it hurts my family, it hurts me and it hurts the American people because you are being denied solutions to our problems. Here's why it hurts: Because my wife, my family and I, we know that those false and unproved allegations are not true."

Less than a week ago, Ginger White, an Atlanta-based woman, claimed that she and Cain had a 13-year-long extramarital affair. He admitted to giving her money, and having 61 phone calls and text messages with White over the last several months.

He told the crowd gathered at his new campaign headquarters in Atlanta today, "I am at peace with my wife, and she is at peace with me. And I am at peace with my family and at peace with myself."

Cain's wife Gloria, who was unaware of Ginger White until she surfaced on television this week, accompanied her husband on the stage as he attempted to make lemonade out of lemons - his debate performances, multiple female accusers and declining poll numbers - in announcing his "Plan B," which appears to be a continuation of his 9-9-9 economic recovery plan.

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"With the new organization I will still be promoting the biggest change and transfer of power out of Washington, D.C. back to the people since the nation began, and that is the 9-9-9 plan. It's not going away," Cain stated. "thecainsolutions.com is where the people will choose, not the media, not the politicians, and the people will show that the people are still in charge of the country."

According to PolitiFact, in Cain's 9-9-9 plan low- and middle-income taxpayers would contribute a greater share of taxes than those in higher tax-brackets. Nonetheless, 9-9-9 resonates with the public and helped Cain's meteoric rise in the polls in the early fall.

Bowing out of the race today, the former business executive made it clear that he wants to stay in the spotlight. "The pundits would like for me to shut up, drop out and go away. Well, as my grandmother who lived to be 104 years old used to say, when somebody was dead wrong, bless their little hearts. I am not going to be silenced and I am not going away," he said.

Like Sarah Palin before him, Cain is taking on the mantle of Washington outsider and a Tea Party favorite who says he will "show the people are still in charge of the country."

He now has not much to lose, and a lot to gain in terms of distancing himself from the "distractions" and pushing his Plan B and opinions in the very media outlets he has been excoriating for his downward slide. 

As he ended his concession speech, removing himself from what he called the "dirty game" of running for president, Cain announced that he would be making an endorsement. If he can't continue his run for president, at least he can play the role of a kingmaker. He has already been reaching out to some of the remaining candidates as Plan B gets underway.

[amerilatino]

Carpenters should stick to hammers, cobblers should stick to shoes and philandering pizza moguls should stick to shredded mozzarella and pimp hats...

[sjj1222]

The circus.....goes on and on and on. And the guy who is twice divorced and had an extra-marital affair with his current wife hopes to gain the most from this. Amazing! More than ever, as I look at the sorry set of Republican "rivals" on the other side, I am THANKFUL to have Barack Obama as President, and as a viable candidate for re-election. Mr. Obama: your heart, your values, and your basic decency are all in the right place. BUT...your hands are tied. Unfortunately they were tied by us, the electorate.....when we failed to provide you with a Congress that you can work with. Instead, you are saddled with a don't-tax-the-1%-do-nothing Congress that battles you at every turn, while the people suffer.?God, they don't EVEN let you pass your own appointments. It's not Tea-publican gridlock -it's Tea-publican sabotage. Heck, it's Tea-publican treason....while the 99% BLEEDS. And then they try to pin the blame on Mr. Obama. These people have no shame...or else its been purchased by those who can afford to do so. In her last years, Grandma gets her meager Social Security check, and they DARE to call it "socialism". Give me a break! (and Grandma too!) Thankfully, with Occupy Wall Street, America has found its voice: a voice that reminds us that people -ordinary down-to-earth working people- really DO matter. Not "corporations are people -people" , but REAL people! Tea-publicans want even MORE 1%-tax-break-corporate-loopholes....while these "job-creators" send our jobs overseas, and wish that we'd go away too.... as they buy every politician in sight. And if these politicians don't have ENOUGH mistresses, I can hook them up with a few gorgeous -and rich!- oil companies. It would be a perfect blind date, except for the fact that they're ALREADY in bed with them :-). But instead of talking about LESS government, and LESS taxes on the 1%, and MORE corporate welfare, and MORE painful cuts to those who can LEAST afford it....Occupy is a voice that demands a government that WORKS, a government that works FOR ALL OF US, not just for a favored few....not just for the rich. It's a voice that comes up from the grassroots, and lifts us up in turn: because it insists that this land IS our land...and that we WANT IT BACK! It's a voice that will help us re-elect the President AND give him a more progressive people-oriented Congress to work with. Mr. Obama: I wish you well.... because you STILL give us hope!

[Jhihmoac]

"Cain ended the suspense surrounding his troubled candidacy and heaped blame on the media for the 'continued distraction' that led to his decision to abandon his presidential aspirations..." - Yeah right, Mr. Cain...Play around, and when you have to owe up to it...blame someone else...Typical political protocol...

[2happy2ride]

Put this guy away for good. Not many are interested, except the Jerry Springer types. The man was in way over his head intellectually.

[longtree-2009]

don't understand how his wife can stand him, stay with him, since cain has been charged with spreading sausage over several pies. in one case for apparently 13 years. once trust is broken it can never be restored to its original state. she apparently is doing the old dance of standby your man. wonder if his wife and children are ashamed, humiliated. would think so, would hope so, else they are the same as cain.

[Nikos_Retsos]

Cain wasn't manly enough to use the word "quit!" He preferred the word "suspend" which sound more like a "temporary ceasing of activities" rather like than a "throwing in of the towel" which it actually is! Surely the late night comedians will have a feast on his travails, denials, and his euphemistic exit that he spiced with the supposed blessing of God and his wife!

Cain pretended he was speaking from a high moral ground - while standing at the bottom of his campaign ditch! Nikos Retsos, retired professor

[Lindag10]

The wife LOOKS like she's sucking on a lemon. Can't say as I blame her after the way she's been embarrassed in front of the country by that idiot.

[ariz_1944]

Give ya 100 to 1 odds that it IS NOT HIS LEMON!!!

[Jaylah54]

Sadly, what Squirmy-Hermy doesn't understand is that lemonade doesn't come from the end of his ... um.... male appendage.

[thomasmc1957]

Well, he certainly did put a Creepy Pervert face on the Tea Party!

[levelheadedtoo]

So the anybody but Romney race has one less bizzar chacter. The race starts another lap. Sarah has been waiting for the right moment to dive in and save the day. Maybe Trump will jump on stage during the next debate and re-declare. Bob Dole is still alive,right? Fred Thompson? Sombody! Anyone out there? Anyone at all. Come on Fox how about Sean , Bill or one those morning stooges that seem to be always ready with answers to our problems. Come on anybody but Romney!!