Face the Nation: Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich
This Sunday's Guests are Republican Presidential Candidates Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich. Plus Michael Gerson of the Washington Post, CBS News Congressional Correspondent Nancy Cordes and Political Analyst John Dickerson.
The field is set. This week was marked by decisions of possible top Republican contenders, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, not to run for the presidency. What does their decision mean to the field and to Republicans who had been looking for others to get in?
For now, it means that those already in the race are getting a second look.
Businessman Herman Cain, known for being the straight-talking former CEO of Godfather's Pizza has jumped to the top of the polls. Backed by his 9-9-9 tax plan (shorthand for his plan calling for a 9 percent personal tax, 9 percent corporate income tax and a 9 percent national sales tax), Cain is now tied with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney for the lead among the Republican contenders, each with 17 percent according to this week's CBS News Poll. Cain, who was at 5 percent two weeks ago, has vaulted over Texas Governor Rick Perry who is now polling at 12 percent, down from 23 percent in the last poll. Among Tea Party supporters, Cain now leads Romney, with 24 percent support, compared with 7 percent two weeks ago.
Cain's touring the country selling his new memoir, "This is Herman Cain" which is steadily rising on the best seller list. In the book, Cain talks about his upbringing, "I grew up po', which is even worse than being poor,"
he wrote, and talks about his "CEO of Self" motivation that led him to the top of the business world. The book also outlines some of Cain's policy positions and includes some tough words for President Obama. "I and others of my political persuasion believe that Barack Obama is fundamentally a socialist because we believe he simply does not understand the free-market system," he wrote. He touts his business experience to say he is the best candidate to win the White House. "I am Barack Obama's worst nightmare!" he wrote.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has also had a recent resurgence with some well received debate performances. He's up to third in the CBS News poll among tea party support, with 13%. Gingrich also recently unveiled his "21st Century Contract with America" playing off his 1994 Contract with America that let him to the House Speakership.
"America is dramatically and frighteningly on the wrong track," he writes.
To fix it, he proposes legislative proposals to create jobs, executive orders to change the way the executive branch works, training appointees to run a limited government, and a grassroots campaign of citizen involvement.
"The primary purpose of the 21st Century Contract with America is to lay out the scale of change that is necessary and give the American people profound reasons to believe that with courageous, systematic effort we can get America back on the right track," he wrote.
Can Cain keep up his recent momentum? Can Cain or Gingrich win the Republican Nomination? It Mitt Romney the reluctant front runner? Will conservatives, who seem to be looking for another candidate to get in, rally around the eventual nominee, even if he's not a Tea Party favorite? Those will be among the issues as Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich sit down with Bob Schieffer.
The CBS News poll also found that 76 percent of Republican primary voters say it's too early to make up their mind and settle on a candidate and they are split as to whether the field should expand. Among those primary votes, 46 percent say they are satisfied with the field and 46 percent say they are not and want more candidates to get in. But has time run out for anyone else to consider a bid?
The Republican presidential campaign and the 2012 race to the White House as Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich sit down with Bob Schieffer to Face the Nation.
