(Image Source: Des Moines Register)



BY AUSTIN FAX



With his campaign seemingly in disarray-- the Cain train is switching gears and going on the offensive.

Friday-- GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain debuted a new portion of his website called “Women for Cain.” It features words of support from female voters, like this one from Kansas City:
 

KANSAS CITY SUPPORTER: “Stay in the race. I am so turned off by these women who get their 5 minutes of fame - they set women back a century. They are an insult to successful working women.”

So who are these ‘Women for Cain’?  Business Insider’s Grace Wyler says, try a Google search.


“The microsite is totally weird. [T]here's the photo, which one would assume is of actual Cain supporters. Nope — it's a German stock photo...”

Aannnndd take a look -- it’s called “four happy young women holding their thumbs up.”

The Des Moines Register reports Cain’s support has taken a nosedive. He’s polling just 8 percent among likely Republican voters in Iowa-- The site of 2012’s first caucus.


That’s down from 23 percent a month ago.


Cain’s popularity with women is also in a tailspin. CNN reports Cain has lost 8 percentage points with women voters since news broke of his alleged extra-marital transgressions.
 

So--Will the website work? On MSNBC, The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank says it might be time to turn out the lights-- the party’s over.

““I think the best thing for Herman Cain to do right now would be to dig a big hole and bury himself in it. Assuming he's not going to do that because nothing in his past indicates that, we can't be saying here is what he should do with his life. We don't know what the truth is here. We don't know what he's told her in the past. It's an awkward thing when these things come into politics. We do know as a political matter he destroyed any chance he had at the nomination...”
 

All this -- as Cain announced -- an announcement. Fox News has video from South Carolina Friday.


CAIN: “I am reassessing because of all of this media firestorm stuff. Why? Because my wife and family come first.”


He’s expected to talk Saturday about the future of his campaign. But Fox News’ Carl Cameron says -- for those expecting him to drop out of the race -- might want to think again.


CARL CAMERON, REPORTER: “The campaign had already planned to open his national headquarters in Atlanta. And that will go forward tomorrow exactly whether it happens before or after or whether the news conference is part of that opening, remains an open question. He all this week has been very defiant saying he continues to get very strong support and he has been smeared by liberals or the g.o.p. Establishment, or the different accusers or the media.”