Businessman-turned-GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain sat down with the Wall Street Journal for a recent interview and gave an unsympathetic analysis of the ongoing Occupy Wall Street movement, suggesting it was staged and driven by "anti-capitalism."
Asked by the Journal's Alan Murray about his thoughts on the demonstrations, which initially began in New York City and have since spread around the country, Cain responded:
"I don't have facts to back this up, but I happen to believe that these demonstrations are planned and orchestrated to distract from the failed policies of the Obama administration. Don't blame Wall Street, don't blame the big banks, if you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself! ... It is not a person's fault if they succeeded, it is a person's fault if they failed."
Cain went on to admit that the banks had something to do with the economic crisis of 2008, but pointed out that it was now 2011, seemingly downplaying any lasting effects of the practices of big banks and Wall Street.
Occupy Wall Street, a self-professed progressive movement, has broadened its efforts in the past week, putting concerns with too-big-to-fail banks, widening income inequality and rampant unemployment on center stage.
You can follow the latest developments from the Occupy Wall Street protests on our live blog.
At top, a clip of the Wall Street Journal interview with Cain via Think Progress.
