http://cnettv.cnet.com/av/video/cbsnews/atlantis2/cbsnews_player_embed.swf
TRANSCRIPT:
“I met Mr. Cain in the lobby of the bar at the Capitol Hilton at around 6:30 p.m. We had drinks at the hotel, and he asked how I liked my room, which is kind of normal, and I said I was very surprised. I said, I can’t believe it, I’ve got this great suite, it’s gorgeous. Mr. Cain kind of smirked, and then said, ‘I upgraded you.’
“He then took me to an Italian restaurant where we had dinner. During dinner, Mr. Cain looked at me and said, ‘Why are you here?’ I said, ‘Actually, Herman, my boyfriend, whom you met, suggested that I meet with you ‘cause he thought you could help me because I really need a job. I was wondering if there’s anything available at the state association level or perhaps if you could speak to someone at the foundation to try to get my job back, perhaps even in a different department.’ He said, ‘I’ll look into that.’
“While we were driving back to the hotel, he said that he would show me where the National Restaurant Association offices were. He parked the car down the block. I thought that we were going to go into the offices so he that could show me around. At that time I had on a black pleated skirt, a suit jacket and a blouse. He had on a suit with his shirt open. But instead of going into the offices, he suddenly reached over and he put his hand on my leg under my skirt and reached for my genitals. He also grabbed my head and brought it toward his crotch. I was very, very surprised and very shocked.
“I said: ‘What are you doing? You know I have a boyfriend. This isn’t what I came here for.’ Mr. Cain said, ‘You want a job, right?’
“I asked him to stop and he did. I asked him to take me back to my hotel which he did, right away.
“When I returned to New Jersey where I was staying…, I told my boyfriend Mr. Cain had been very sexually inappropriate with me, and shortly thereafter I told another friend of mine, who has been a mentor, the same thing. I didn’t tell them the details because, quite frankly, I was very embarrassed that Mr. Cain had been sexually inappropriate to me.
“The last time that I saw Mr. Cain actually was about a month ago. I had been invited to the tea party conference sponsored by WIND Chicago radio in Chicago. I actually didn’t know he was going to be there until the night before when my girlfriend told me.
“I went up to him and asked him, ‘Do you remember me?’ I guess I wanted to see if he was going to be man enough to own up to what he had done some 14 years ago. He acknowledged that he remembered me from the foundation, but he kind of looked uncomfortable and he said nothing, and he was whisked away for his speech by his handlers.
“During his speech he had that same infectious presence that we have come to know, and command as he did when I heard him speak for the first time 14 years ago at the NRA. As I sat there in the audience, I kept wondering to myself, has he done to other women what he had done to me, and whether anyone was going to speak up about it?
“I really hoped for his sake that and his candidacy that mine was an isolated incident and that he had not exhibited those behaviors with other women. I didn’t file a complaint against Mr. Cain as some of the other women did because I wasn’t employed by the foundation when this occurred.
“But now, I’m coming forward to give a face and a voice to those women who cannot, or for whatever reason do not wish to come forward, and on behalf of all women who are sexually harassed in the workplace but do not come [forward] out of fear of retaliation or public humiliation.
“I really didn’t want to be here today and wouldn’t have been here if it had not been for the three other women who have alleged sexual harassment against Mr. Cain. I want you, Mr. Cain, to come clean. Just admit what you did. Admit you were inappropriate to people, and then move forward.
“America is in a horrible turmoil as we all know. We need a leader who can set an example which exemplifies the standards of a good person and moral character. Mr. Cain, I implore you, make this right so that you and the country can move forward and focus on the real issues at hand. Thank you.”
