Video: Herman Cain jokes about Anita Hill

Photo by Christopher
Halloran,  Shutterstock

Not only am I increasingly convinced that Herman Cain has a problem with women, but it's also becoming clear that he doesn't have very good judgment either.  When you're in the middle of a sexual harassment scandal you don't call the most senior woman in the US government "princess."  As Jon Stewart noted last night, it's not really appropriate to call any girl, past the age of 5, princess.

But last night, Cain did it again.  For some reason, on being told that Anita Hill had a new book out on race and gender, Cain doubled over in hysterics.  Then he told a joke: "Is she going to endorse me?" Cain and the crowd laughed again, apparently because it's hysterically funny when women accuse men of sexual harassment and sexual assault.  (There's video via the link.)

Here's the thing.  If you're facing multiple charges of sexual harassment, and at least one charge of sexual assault, and you're in the race to be president, you'd play it serious, at least for a few days.  You'd avoid gratuitously denigrating women.  And you'd definitely avoid any discussion of Anita Hill, regardless of your opinions of her.  You wouldn't laugh at the mention of her name, and then crack a joke about it.  Unless you were a rather unserious candidate, and a little bit creepy too.