After Herman Cain made a series of stumbles, many wonder if he is ready for the White House. Since his rise in public opinion polls, his words and actions have drawn more scrutiny over the past week.
For those still in search of a candidate to support, his recent political presence is causing many people to question whether he can handle the national spotlight.
"I'm looking for someone that's electable and right now I don't think he fits into that category," said 60-year-old Gene Carkeet of Memphis, Tenn., who attended a recent Cain rally there but remains undecided, according to the Associated Press.
In several cases, he misspoke and had to retract or correct previous statements:
For example, he said he would negotiate for the release of U.S. prisoners held by terrorists, then corrected himself and said he had misunderstood the question.
In addition, he caused controversy concerning the issue of abortion. He told CNN that while he strongly opposes abortion, "the government shouldn't be trying to tell people everything to do, especially when it comes to social decisions that they need to make." Later he issued a statement restating his opposing position on abortion.
However, despite the widespread criticism, Cain remains composed.
"In a couple of instances ... I misspoke because of the pace of the interview. I don't call it a flip-flop. I'd rather come back and explain to people what I really meant," Cain said Friday after an economic speech in Detroit, the AP reports. "It doesn't send mixed messages. It just shows that I'm willing to correct myself ... if in fact I need to correct myself for clarity. That's what I'm trying to achieve."
