Postmortem

Tomasky: Herman Cain’s Explosive Vanity

As the press rushes to crank out obituaries for Herman Cain’s campaign, The Daily Beast’s Michael Tomasky says it’s not the women, but Cain’s irrepressible vanity that took him down. For proof, we need look no further than his most recent book. “That book, it’s clear from page one, is not the work of man who wasn’t serious about his candidacy. He thought that the presidency was his destiny. Actually, I wouldn’t be shocked if he still thinks it.” Vanity is required for a presidential candidate, but it has to be matched with some type of substance. “What this year’s candidates completely lack is a story about society that’s remotely compelling to anyone outside the conservative base."