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  For months, Herman Cain languished on the margins of the Republican presidential campaign. But in the past few weeks, something happened that even Cain did not see coming. He became a front-runner for the nomination. The Atlanta businessman has shot up in the polls and become a ubiquitous presence on national television. His “9-9-9” plan to reform the tax code has become a household term. His sense of humor and upbeat style have injected a bit of light into a campaign that has centered on the gloom of the economy. Cain, who brought to the race no obvious constituency to back him, has benefited as other conservative favorites took turns in the spotlight and then fell away, bowing out — or flaming out. But he also has used a series of televised debates to raise his profile and establish himself as a powerful communicator with a simple plan to restart the economy. “My message of common-sense solutions is resonating with people,” Cain said in an intervie...

Who won? Advertisers, most likely. Ratings go up whenever this pair is on screen together. They’re like Starsky and Hutch, Felix and Oscar, or Seals and Crofts – an odd-couple duo that somehow works. They actually address each other’s points and don’t shout or throw chairs. Maybe they should hold a big event on the Mall in D.C. in the name of civil discourse and ... oh, right. Anyway, Mr. O’Reilly pointed out that, 11 years ago, Common wrote a song that defended convicted cop killer Assata Shakur, and that the rapper has traveled abroad to meet with Ms. Shakur, who escaped from prison in 1979. “Common traveled to Cuba to meet with someone who was convicted of killing a New Jersey trooper,” said O’Reilly, referring to Shakur. “A member of the Black Liberation Army. They found 16 live rounds in her purse.” Given that President Obama has already faced criticism for some past associations, such as his relationship with the controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright, he should have known en...

Last week, Bill O'Reilly challenged "Daily Show" host to a debate on the recent controversy surrounding rapper Common's invitation to join the White House poetry slam. Last night, Stewart took him up on the offer and sat for a lengthy and mostly civilized discussion of the issue. O'Reilly insisted that Common should be disqualified from visiting the White House because he once wrote a song about Assata Shakur, a member of the Black Liberation Army who was convicted in the killing of a New Jersey police officer in the 1970s. Only artists who are truly "unimpeachable" should be bestowed with the honor of a White House invitation, which may be considered by some a rather high bar. Stewart, meanwhile, insisted that the Fox News "selective outrage machine" had manufactured a fake controversy. O'Reilly and his cohorts had failed to make a crucial distinction: Just because Common believes that Shakur was unjustly convicted does not m...