Has Herman Cain Touched You?

You are on your own tonight. I don't know how the GOP contenders can top themselves. I'll be reading Umberto Eco's new novel instead.

Willard Romney had a tough night last night. Ohio's anti-union bill, which he supported after he didn't, went down to defeat with 62% voting against it. This was a case where when Mitt flip-flopped he chose the wrong side. Also, Mississippi rejected the Personhood amendment, which would have granted a fetus the full rights of a human being. Romney told Mike Huckabee on Fox News he would support such an amendment to the Constitution. He also supported the Mississippi initiative. Earlier today, he backed away from this position. By late afternoon, he said the Personhood issue was a matter for each state.

Herman Cain continues his superb record on women's rights. His campaign website described one of his accusers as an "ugly b***ch". Last night he blamed a Democratic Machine for a smear campaign against him, saying there was a conspiracy in this country against a businessman becoming President. He suggested that if these accusations had not come he would be well on his way to the White House. Herman's wife cancelled another Fox News interview. Today, the Cain capaign changed its tune and said that it was Rick Perry--again--who was conducting this smear campaign.

Rick "Frothy Mix" Santorum seems to be a magnet for all kinds of strange ideas on sex. It turns out Santorum was a big and very public backer of the Penn State coach indicted for child molestation.

Newt Gingrich actually had a good idea. He called for the breakup of the major banks and the restoring Glass-Seagall,which had prevented the speculation by banks in derivatives. He also said that the reason the economy melted down was the wave of de-regulation in the 1990s. Newt is trying to channel Occupy Wall Street with old conservatism. It might push him up in the polls.

Ian Rankin's new novel is out with Matthew Fox as the lead character. Not Rebus but still a well-told tale that gets better as it proceeds. A wonderful look back at the 1980s in Scotland and the radicalism of the Scottish Nationalist Movement at the time.

Democrats basically came out better last night and it seems that the GOP pushed the envelope too hard in going after unions, pro-choice and voter registration. Maine defeated the notion to close down their pioneering same-day voting process. The victory in Ohio was a tribute to sustained organization. One cautionary note: Ohio also passed a law prohibiting the state from forcing citizens to buy health insurance. Here was a slap against Obama's individual mandate in the health reform bill. However, a new poll shows Obama beating Romney in Ohio by 9%.

So, it's off tonight. Have fun with the debate. Will the moderator ask Romney there in Michigan why he wanted the auto industry to go bankrupt?