Ex-Pizza CEO Herman Cain Joins 2012 Race

The pizza man is in, too. Former Godfather's CEO Herman Cain declared today that he's running for president in 2012, reports the Christian Science Monitor. Having never won elective office, the conservative Cain is, of course, a huge long shot, writes Peter Grier. But he's also a dynamic public speaker, maybe the best of the current batch of Republicans. "He comes across a bit like an African-American Teddy Roosevelt," writes Grier. "On first exposure some voters can swoon." (An old clip of him at CPAC is in the gallery at left.)

A recent Gallup analysis puts it this way: “Cain creates enthusiasm among those who do know him ... and we learned in 2010 that fervent enthusiasm can make a real difference in voter turnout rates.” Also, he probably can't have as bad a start as Newt Gingrich. (More Herman Cain 2012 stories.)