Jeff Smith: Can Herman Cain Survive?

Facing an Iowa Republican caucus electorate that

1. 1) to put it diplomatically, has traditional views on gender relationships, and earlier vaulted to frontrunner status a woman who advised other women to “submit” to their husbands;
2. 2) finds any item about a conservative politician originating in the MSM to be dubious; and
3. 3) has appeared to penalize candidates only when they do or say anything that receives MSM plaudits (i.e., Perry’s position on in-state college tuition for immigrants, almost anything Huntsman has said), I’m not so sure this episode hurts Cain.

That doesn’t mean I think he’ll get the nomination. At some point, common sense will prevail.

(Cross-posted, with permission of the author, from Politico’s Arena)