The one thing that will sink Herman Cain
It’s not the sexual harassment allegations, but the way he handled one week of news stories about them.
“Rolling disclosures” occur when a spokesperson fails to disclose everything they know from the start, opting instead to drip out information slowly.
As a result, every time the spokesperson reveals a new detail—no matter how trivial—new oxygen gets pumped into the story. That approach has the net effect of extending the shelf life of the crisis while diminishing the believability of each new iteration of the story.
Cain’s inept response to these allegations has likely done more damage to his campaign than the allegations themselves.
Politico compiled a partial chronology of Cain’s rolling disclosures:
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