Conservative blogger and Herman Cain supporter Robert Stacy McCain actually makes a good point, in passing, while discussing the name of Cain’s website:

“Just like “9-9-9,” the phrase sticks in your mind: Easy to say, easy to remember…” 

People have been wondering, now that he’s the front-runner: does Cain have a chance at winning the nomination? I think he actually does, for two reasons.

First, as R.S. McCain says, the “9-9-9 plan” is easy to remember. As far as I can tell, Cain is the only one who has a plan like that. What’s Romney’s plan? It has no catchy name. 

Now, of course, until yesterday I knew nothing about the “9-9-9 plan”. Then I read this excellent post by Nameless Cynic, who says:

“[Cain’s] current big campaign promise is the 9-9-9 tax plan (9% income tax, 9% business tax, 9% sales tax). A plan which is basically hated by everybody, Democrat or Republican, except Herman Cain… basically, the rich get taxed less, the poor and middle class get taxed more, and the government gets less money.” 

Well, that sounds bad. Unfortunately, I don’t think the typical voter gets down to details like what a plan actually is, or what its probable consequences are. The important thing is that they can, on being asked “what does Herman Cain want to do”, respond readily with “the 9-9-9 plan!” It makes it sound like they know what’s going on.

The second reason is more simple: it is that Conservatives are tired of being accused of racism, and they reckon that supporting Cain makes it harder for that charge to stick.