Having heard briefly from the Big, Bad Wolf yesterday,

A) He and Seth are “okay” and hope to be back among us really soon (I can’t wait, after all this my Wolf owes me a long, exotic vacation).

B) While they are somewhat isolated from mainstream society, as it were, they are not exactly cut off from “outside” news and current events: They both agree that Herman Cain is the forerunner for the 2012 vote here at Hard Astarboard. I third the motion.

I know, I know, most Republicans whose blogs I read have a thing for staying with experienced, bona-fides produceable GOP veterans who have made their careers in politics, but face it, these people simply aren’t cutting the mustard. It’s all about politics, not about America and Americans with them, and while they duke it out, the country is sinking into an economic abyss under the direction of a government that has no direction.

Herman Cain grew up black in the “In The Heat of the Night” south and instead of being what the Democrats consider a proper “African-American” and settling into a life on the government dole, he embraced the American Dream and succeeded in life.

He brings to the table real leadership experience, hard won in the private sector, where bottom lines make it difficult if not impossible to conceal failure behind political rhetoric, as in government.

Okay, so he hasn’t committed on every issue:

Like all the candidates, Mr. Cain has weaknesses. He has stumbled on abortion. He refuses to restore the ban on homosexuals in the military. His views on trade are sketchy. In particular, he has failed to articulate a comprehensive foreign policy. On Afghanistan, Iran, China and Russia, Mr. Cain needs to outline where he stands. This is especially true regarding the seminal issue of our time: radical Islam. If Mr. Cain can’t cross that bar, then he will rightfully lose the GOP primary contest.

Fine, like the article says, “Like all the candidates…” One of the reasons we’ve missed the boat on some potentially excellent leaders is that we keep on looking for perfection in a world where nobody’s perfect. The day we find a candidate whose every single stance agrees with those of every single voter will never come.

Mr. Cain’s visceral appeal is that he is the outsider, the anti-establishment candidate. Unlike Mr. Romney, Mr. Cain is not a conventional politician. On the campaign trail, Mr. Cain’s answers are often not scripted; rather, they are blunt, raw and honest. He is articulate and passionate and uses simple, clear language that resonates with the electorate. In short, he is not a phony.

Moreover, he is a populist reformer who embodies much of the Tea Party insurgency against the decrepit governing class. Mr. Cain’s candidacy is tapping into Middle America’s frustration and anger with Imperial Washington.

Politicians have brought America to the brink of collapse. Inside the Beltway, Mr. Cain’s lack of political experience is seen as a huge negative. In the heartland, however, it is viewed as a virtue.

Three cheers for the “Fly-over Zone!”

Tax reform is Mr. Cain’s signature issue. His 9-9-9 plan is ambitious. The current tax code is burdensome, stifling and infested with special-interest loopholes and carve-outs. It is the very symbol of our bloated and corrupt federal government. Mr. Cain calls for a 9 percent income tax, a 9 percent business tax and a 9 percent national sales tax. His proposal creates a simple, efficient tax code that broadens the base of taxpayers.

It would unleash economic growth and job creation - and strike at the heart of welfare liberalism. Nearly half of all Americans no longer pay any income taxes. This means they are being subsidized by middle- and upper-income earners - one half of the country is living off the other half. Mr. Cain would end this. The 9-9-9 plan would terminate the use of the tax system to foster a culture of dependency and government handouts.

Mr. Cain’s worldview can be distilled to running America as a business, not a socialist empire. His call for across-the-board spending cuts, entitlement reform and repeal of Obamacare would revive our moribund market economy. None of the GOP candidates captures the entrepreneurial spirit better than Mr. Cain. He embodies rugged individualism and self-reliance. He is a self-made businessman and former chief executive officer of Godfather’s Pizza. He has spent almost his entire life in the private sector. He speaks with the weight of conviction - and experience.

Mr. Cain also truly represents the promise of a post-racial America. This was the initial appeal of Mr. Obama’s presidency: The ugly legacy of race finally would be buried. Instead, under his administration, the country has become even more racially - and ideologically - polarized. Mr. Obama and his media allies constantly play the race card to demonize their critics. Mr. Cain, however, is the very opposite: His campaign so far has been completely free of racial overtones or grievance-mongering. He is running on his character and policies, not on the color of his skin. His candidacy truly transcends race.

His candidacy transcends idiotic political Romperroomism, as well.

Herman Cain in 2012