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The Tampa Tribune
Published: April 27, 2012
Updated: April 27, 2012 - 12:00 AM
Former presidential contender Herman Cain told a group of University of South Florida students Thursday they should be conservatives because "the alternative is the destruction of this country."
Conservatives, he said, believe in "less taxes, less government and more individual responsibility. Liberals believe in more taxes, more government and less individual responsibility. It's just that clear."
Speaking to a gathering of USF College Republicans, Cain vehemently denied what he called the "false charges" of sexual harassment that led to the end of his presidential campaign in December.
"I overachieved, which is why somebody, some organization, decided to come after me and ruin my reputation," he said, not identifying that organization.
"In the court of public opinion ? all they have to do is plant doubt," he said. "They can't prove it, so how do I prove that I didn't? You can't prove a negative."
His voice rising nearly to a shout, Cain said, "The biggest reason that I ended it because of all of that crap is I put family first. It was tearing my family apart."
Since ending his campaign, Cain has been making national appearances for Cain Solution Revolution, an organization to push political ideas, including his "9-9-9" tax proposal, advocating flat 9 percent income and corporate taxes and a 9 percent national sales tax.
Besides the USF speech, his Tampa swing included a dinner Thursday by a newly formed Republican women's group, and a Hernando County Republican Party fundraiser tonight.
Cain got a rousing reception from the women's group. He remains popular in Florida after a grass-roots campaign that led to his winning the Presidency 5 state GOP straw poll in November.
In an interview with the Tribune, he repeated his less-than-enthusiastic endorsement of Mitt Romney in the Republican primary. He also said he expects a prominent speaking role at the Republican National Convention in August in Tampa.
"I do believe I've earned a prominent slot," he said, because of his speaking skills and because, "It's expected ? a lot of people will be disappointed if I don't speak."
He said he met with Romney on Tuesday, describing their conversation as about issues, not about the convention or a possible Romney administration position.
"I didn't ask for anything ? I'm not even looking to be appointed to anything," he said.
"What I found was, he will listen," he said.
Cain endorsed Newt Gingrich just before the Florida primary Jan. 31.
But two weeks ago, Cain said it was time for the contest to end in Romney's favor.
"It looks like Mitt Romney's going to be the nominee and we do need to get behind him," Cain said in a Fox News interview.
On Thursday, without mentioning Romney by name, he told the USF students, "We may not have the perfect candidate," but they should focus on winning the election anyway.
"I was talking to some tea party people last week (who said) my favorite candidate is no longer in the race," he said. "Well, mine isn't either ? me. ? But I didn't lose sight of the mission."
Most of Cain's USF speech was an inspirational, commencement-style speech in which he recounted his life story, rising from a poor Georgia family to a business magnate, meeting goals he set for himself at each stage.
He gave a more political speech to a crowd of about 130 members of With Women We Win.
Asked whether the group considered whether it should invite someone accused of sexual harassment as speaker for the dinner, organizer April Schiff said, "What we considered was that he's a national figure and executing a new campaign, and willing to come here. We've got a good crowd."
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