SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 9:56 P.M. ET: 

ALL HERMAN ALL THE TIME – Herman Cain is having a great time.  As this week's ABR (anyone but Romney) candidate, he's picking up support rapidly.  Rasmussen now has the GOP race as Cain 29%, Romney 29%, Gingrich 10%, with Gingrich making his best showing.  Governor Haley Barbour of Mississippi now says Cain could sweep the South and that his own wife would vote for him.  A new poll shows Cain leading in Florida, with Romney not far behind, and Gingrich third.  Rick Perry, having struck out in three straight debates, is fading as a major factor.  But Herman had better watch out.  Other anyone but Romney candidates, like Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty, have come and melted.  It's fun while it lasts.

GORE BACKS THE OCCUPIERS – Al Gore is now actively backing the Occupy Wall Street movement.  No doubt he'll have the entire windmill industry behind him.  Gore joins a growing list of fabulously wealthy people who are endorsing a movement that is opposed to fabulously wealthy people.  We wonder whether Gore will have his limo driver take him down to the one of the protest sites where he can take the air temperature and maybe announce that from now on he's going entirely to Japanese bikes. 

THE IRAN PLOT – President Obama says Iran will be held responsible for the alleged plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to the United States, and for other plots, like the alleged plan to blow up the Israeli embassy in Washington.  But the Saudis are pledging a restrained response, and it appears that nothing beyond sanctions and economic tightening are on the agenda for now.  The president also said that information confirming the plot, which could have killed hundreds of Americans in the nation's capital, had come from multiple sources.  It was revealed that the U.S. has had direct contact with the Iranians over the plot, even though the two nations don't have diplomatic relations.  The question is what will happen if Iran is linked to a further plot to be carried out on American soil.  Ironically, a tough American response in the middle of an election year could strongly benefit Obama.

DEFENSE WORRIES – Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has issued still another firm warning about irresponsible defense cuts.  And now Senator John McCain has said that he will move to nullify any unreasonable cuts by legislation.  The fear is growing among national-defense experts that the Pentagon may be asked for cuts that could seriously endanger the main mission of protecting the United States.  Already Panetta is saying that some proposed cuts could drive the U.S. out of Africa.  What is sad is that some Republicans, betraying the party of Ronald Reagan, are not resisting further cuts in military spending, the better to appeal to the green eyeshade crowd that is becoming increasingly powerful in GOP ranks.  Shame.

October 13, 2011