In a Public Policy Polling poll released on Oct. 12, Herman Cain was atop the GOP presidential primary heap, leading former Gov. Mitt Romney by 30 percent to 22 percent. Then, beginning on Halloween, his campaign was rocked by scandal. In just one month, Cain came crashing back to earth. Five women made similar claims of sexually inappropriate behavior toward them, forcing Cain to suspend his campaign for president, according to The Ticket. The following timeline outlines the scandal from beginning to inglorious end:
Oct. 31: Politico reports that two women accused Cain of "sexually suggestive behavior" while working with him in the 1990s at the National Restaurant Association. Both women received financial settlements in exchange for leaving the association. The agreements included barring the two women from disclosing anything about the accusations in the future.
Nov. 2: Cain accuses the Gov. Rick Perry campaign of "orchestrating a smear campaign" against him. A Perry spokesman denies the charge.
Nov. 3: A third woman accuses Cain of "sexual suggestive remarks and gestures" during his time as head of the NRA. She chooses to remain anonymous.
Nov. 7: Sharon Bialek publicly accuses Cain of trying to get sexual favors from her in exchange for help finding a job. Bialek said that, while sitting in a car after she asked him for help, Cain tried to put his hand in her crotch, saying, "You want a job, right?"
Nov. 8: Karen Krushaar goes public as one of the women in the initial report after her name was leaked into the public sphere. In an interview with the New York Times, she explained why she initially stayed anonymous. "When you are being sexually harassed in the workplace, you are extremely vulnerable," Krushaar said. "You do whatever you can to quickly get yourself into a job some place safe and that is what I thought I had achieved when I left."
Nov. 14: Gloria Cain defends her husband on Fox News. "I know that's not the person he is. He totally respects women."
Nov. 28: Ginger White, in an exclusive interview with the Atlanta affiliate of Fox News, claims to have carried on a 13-year affair with Cain. She further claims to have telephone records backing up her statement.
Dec. 2: Cain's poll numbers among likely Republican voters in Iowa sink back into the single digits.
Dec. 3: After a few days to "reassess" his campaign, Cain announces he is suspending his campaign for the GOP Presidential nomination.
