"In what respects, David?" he demurred, in a not-obviously demurring way.

Well, actually, what current GOP primary front-runner Herman Cain said, was:

CAIN: I’m not sure by what you mean by a neoconservative. I am a conservative, yes. Neoconservative — labels, sometimes, will put you in a box. I’m very conservative.



GREGORY: But you’re familiar with the neoconservative movement?


CAIN: I’m not familiar with the neoconservative movement. I’m familiar with the conservative movement. And let me define what I mean by the conservative movement: less government, less taxes, more individual responsibility.

At this point, I have to cough into my fist a bit--he is not familiar with the neoconservative movement? This was something of the defining movement of the PNAC last century--not familiar with it? The vision of neoconservatism has a lot to do with foreign policy of the last decade--in pretty much a greater degree than the "Bush Doctrine", even. Maybe the GOP primaries' "outsider candidate" is being canny about eschewing labels by disavowing that he has anything to do with the label of "neocon"--but give me a break--if he's been reading about foreign policy--he's heard of it.  And if he's heard of it, he's got an opinion.  Claiming otherwise is typical of deferring an opinion, and that just doesn't sound like he knows what he's talking about.

When Sarah Palin asked Charles Gibson "In what respect, Charlie?" in response to the inquiry regarding her agreement with the Bush Doctrine of preemptive strikes, that informed people who care about foreign policy that she was by no means a serious VP running mate, and undid all the gravitas McCain could have hoped for on that score. This piece, to me, is like Hermain Cain stepping in it. He doesn't have a foreign policy. He does not understand the importance of Uzbeki-beki-beki-stan-stan. He doesn't agree or disagree with neoconservatism--or bother to know what it is so that he can articulate to his prospective voters whether he's for or against.

Just like the transparently gimmicky nature of his 9-9-9 plan--this too, is also a hook. He's an alleged outsider.  He's unfrozen caveman pizza CEO candidate. He doesn't know your ways--they frighten him. Why are you shining a light on his advisors, for example?  You must just want to "get" him!

In other words, I'm sayng I don't think he's serious. Serious would mean at least knowing what neoconservative is, to at least say whether he was or wasn't one.
Otherswise, it just looks like he's selling a book or maybe pitching a Fox News show. Which he could be--so there's that.Oh yes, there's that.

He doesn't look a thing like Jesus, but he talks like a gentleman. --The Killers