Cain: 'President Threw Israel Under the Bus'

Potential 2012 candidate on Obama's handling of Israel

NEIL CAVUTO, HOST OF “YOUR WORLD”: Now to a guy who is looking increasingly like he wants to be president on how this president handled this particular session.

Herman Cain’s now joining us exclusively from Omaha, Nebraska, just down the road from, I think, Iowa, but that could just be coincidence.

HERMAN CAIN, CEO, THE NEW VOICE: Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: Herman, what did you make of -- I know you’re buys on the trail there, but what did you make of this little chill convention?

CAIN: Neil, first of all, I was shocked at the president’s position and I was equally shocked that he would unilaterally suggest that Israel move the borders back which they acquired 44 years ago.

This president threw Israel under the bus. There is no way around it. It demonstrates once again, Neil, the arrogant disregard of this president for the opinion of the American people, who like the great relationship we have with Israel, and a disregard for Israel having the right to make its own decision.

Let me be clear. I am, you know, exploring this whole presidential run. Let me just tell you what the Cain doctrine would be as it relates to Israel if I were president. You mess with Israel; you are messing with the United States of America. It’s that simple.

I want to protect that relationship because they have been our only consistent ally in that part of the world.

CAVUTO: The president seems to be saying, we’ve got to see more out of you, Israel. We’ve got to see more concessions out of you.

If you became president, do you think Israel does have to give in, either on a Palestinian state, whether its own borders were readjusted, or on a host of a number of issues?

CAIN: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it real clear. They’re willing to be generous on some other concessions, but not on the border issue.

And I don’t blame him. So, he made it very clear. And if you go back and look at history, the ones who have wanted to give up the least in decades of trying to make -- get peace in the Middle -- in that part of the world between those two nations, it has been the Palestinians.

So, I totally support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s position. They’re willing to give up on a lot of other things, but this one, I agree with him. He has to draw the line.

CAVUTO: So, let’s say you were president, and you’re sitting in the Oval Office. And you know how these things go. They are really are photo- ops. I usually focus more on the plant.

CAIN: Yes.

CAVUTO: But the fact of the matter is that you’re the president. The other guy has lectured you in your Oval Office. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree, do you think that that part is rude?

CAIN: No, I don’t think it’s rude.

You know, political correctness, sometimes, you have to put aside. First of all, for the president, for President Obama to make the speech that he made, to take the position that he took, knowing that he was going to have a meeting with Mr. -- Mr. Netanyahu, that didn’t make good sense, in my opinion, in terms of timing. He knew he was going to have a meeting under the schedule.

CAVUTO: So, he set himself -- all right, I understand. So, he set himself up for it.

Here now, you mentioned this thing. You’re doing something tomorrow. We went to this site to see what you are doing.

CAIN: Yes. Yes.

CAVUTO: Can we pull that up, Pam, or Frankie (ph), whatever?

I am looking at this. You are announcing for president. That is what I think you are doing.

CAIN: Tomorrow, high noon, Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, I will be making a major announcement about my candidacy for the Republican nomination.

CAVUTO: Well, why don’t you make it now? A lot of people can’t make it to Centennial Park. Tell me on this show what you intend to say tomorrow.

CAIN: Well...

CAVUTO: I won’t breathe a word of it.

CAIN: I...

(LAUGHTER)

CAIN: I think people are going to -- I think Fox is going to cover it. High noon tomorrow, Eastern Time, Herman Cain is going to make a major announcement with 5,000 of his closest friends from all over the country coming down to hear this historic announcement.

CAVUTO: But, Herman, a lot people can’t make that. And I don’t know if you heard the story about the professor who says the world’s going to end tomorrow.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: They have got things to do and wrap up and things to put in boxes and stuff, including, presumably, themselves.

Why don’t you just tell me now, and I can sort of tell the people who are going to come to Atlanta?

CAIN: That professor who has predicted tomorrow is judgment day, he’s right. But it’s a different judgment. It’s going to be a judgment on this administration...

CAVUTO: OK.

CAIN: ... because there is going to be a new guy who is going to make a major announcement that may not surprise you, Neil.

CAVUTO: OK.

(LAUGHTER) CAVUTO: Well, I’ve all but already figured it out.

Could I ask you something, though? I mean, you did very well in that South Carolina debate. By almost anyone’s measure in math, you comported yourself very well.

CAIN: Thank you.

CAVUTO: Agree or disagree with your policies...

CAIN: Thank you.

CAVUTO: ... people, I think, came to that conclusion.

You also shot up in polls, not only in South Carolina, but, more importantly, in Iowa. Is it important, if you should choose to run...

CAIN: Yes.

CAVUTO: And, obviously, our friendship notwithstanding, you’re not going to announce it on your friend’s show. That’s fine. I don’t take it personally.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: But, but, but is it important, should you decide to run for president, which you are not, again, announcing here on your friend’s show -- but should you decide to run, is it important that you score early and quick, in other words, that you do well in an Iowa, I mean, off-the-charts well, even win Iowa, to have any lasting chance?

CAIN: It is critical that I do well in Iowa. And I’ll tell you why, Neil.

I have been to Iowa 16 times since the beginning of the year. And the reason that Iowa and New Hampshire are so important is because of the vetting process. I’ve got to tell you I have had some very challenging town hall meetings with the people in Iowa, people in New Hampshire, as well as in South Carolina.

And they really do ask tough questions. They really do ask some informed questions that really challenges you on what your policies are.

CAVUTO: I know they do. Just ask Mike Huckabee. He launched a presidential campaign with a stunner from there.

CAIN: Yes. Yes. Exactly.

CAVUTO: So, that will be your plan once you’re running for president, which you’re announcing tomorrow, only on this show today, right?

(LAUGHTER)

CAIN: But that’s why Iowa is critical.

(CROSSTALK)

CAIN: And I think that we are going to do well in Iowa, simply because I have spent a lot of time there getting to know a lot of people. And it’s being shown in the polls that you referred to.

CAVUTO: See, you’re going to do well in Iowa – you’re going to do well in Iowa because you are ready to run for president. You are going to Iowa, and you have been there 16 times. Iowa is a lovely state, trust me, but I don’t think I have been there 16 times myself.

(LAUGHTER) CAIN: But they’ve got some great food there, Neil. Maybe that’s why I have been there 16 times.

CAVUTO: They do, indeed. They do, indeed.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: All right. Well, we’re going to be watching very closely.

CAIN: But it is a critical state.

CAVUTO: It is, indeed.

Herman Cain.

For those of you just tuned in, he did announce on our show that he is running for president of the United States.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: So, you can skip this stupid Atlanta thing he’s planning.

CAIN: High noon tomorrow, Centennial Park.

CAVUTO: High noon, which, by the way, will be about six hours before the world ends. But you’ve got to get hopping.

(LAUGHTER)

CAVUTO: Anyway, thank you, Herman. We’ll be watching tomorrow.

CAIN: Thanks, Neil.

CAVUTO: Herman Cain.

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