GOP presidential contender Herman Cain's initial response to yesterday's allegation that he had a long term extra marital affair was an emphatic denial. Then a statement from his lawyer seemed to back away from the denial claiming "private, alleged consensual conduct between adults...is not a proper subject of inquiry by the media or the public." Now Mr. Cain's chief of staff has confirmed that the candidate is reassessing whether to stay in the race and will make his final decision "over the next several days." If that decision is to abandon his bid for the nomination, will it really be because of that alleged affair or could this latest sex scandal be giving an unqualified candidate an excuse to get out before he spectacularly implodes on the national stage?

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One need only look at former President Bill Clinton's successful 1992 campaign to see that allegations of sexual impropriety will not necessarily sink a candidacy. Given the more socially conservative stance of most in the GOP, it may be tougher for a Republican to survive such revelations, but the fact that former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich with his checkered past of divorces and affairs is currently leading the race for the nomination shows inappropriate personal behavior is no longer a deal breaker for either party.

So if Mr. Cain drops out of the race this week, it might be convenient for him and his supporters to claim it was because of the latest allegation against him. He might even make a show of disgust at the political process having already taken a step in that direction with a written statement issued late yesterday. In the statement, the candidate announced that he "will not fight false claims as it is not what America needs or wants." He also included the assertion that "the American public is tired of dirty politics and smear tactics."

Certainly it would not be the first time a candidate has blamed what has come to be called the politics of personal destruction for his own failings. But in the case of Herman Cain, the failings that sunk his chance to be president are probably not what his attorney called private, alleged consensual conduct. While it's easy to sensationalize Mr. Cain's loss of support by tying it to sex scandals, the more likely reason for his change of political fortune has been how he has handled the allegations, a catchy slogan instead of a realistic economic plan and an alarming weakness in the field of foreign policy.

While Ginger White's public claim of a 13 year affair with the candidate was certainly not good news for Team Cain, it may end up providing an easy out for them all.