The announcement of former presidential candidate Herman Cain’s death spurred many to take to Twitter to criticize him for his coronavirus stance and lack of mask at President Donald Trump’s Tulsa rally.
Cain, a former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza who ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, died at the age of 74 after contracting coronavirus. He had been hospitalized earlier this month and was being treated with oxygen with hopeful signs as late as Monday before things took a turn for the worse.
“Herman Cain – our boss, our friend, like a father to so many of us – has passed away. He’s entering the presence of the Savior he’s served as an associate minister at Antioch Baptist Church in Atlanta for, and preparing for his reward,” a statement from Cain’s website read.
CNN contributor Ana Navarro wrote, “Herman Caín thought Covid was a hoax, scoffed at wearing a mask. Died of Covid. Bill Montgomery, co-founder of pro-Trump, Turning Point USA, scoffed at virus. Died of Covid. Rep. Gohmert refused to wear a mask. Has Covid. See a pattern? Covid doesn’t care about partisanship.”
Herman Caín thought Covid was a hoax, scoffed at wearing a mask. Died of Covid.
Bill Montgomery, co-founder of pro-Trump, Turning Point USA, scoffed at virus. Died of Covid.
Rep. Gohmert refused to wear a mask. Has Covid.
See a pattern?
Covid doesn’t care about partisanship.— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) July 30, 2020
Former Elizabeth Warren surrogate Frederick Joseph called Cain’s death an example of “karma” because he attended President Donald Trump’s June rally in Tulsa.
Hermain Cain, a Black man, attended Trump’s Tulsa rally which was originally scheduled to take place on Juneteenth to support white supremacy during coronavirus.
Then ends up catching coronavirus at said rally and dies from it. Whew…karma be working.
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) July 30, 2020
Media outlets also included his Tulsa rally attendance or the lack of mask-wearing in their headlines about Cain’s death. (RELATED: Herman Cain: Lighten Up America!)
Herman Cain Dead at 74 from COVID-19, Got Sick After Trump Tulsa Rally https://t.co/3cY1ysmQLR
— TMZ (@TMZ) July 30, 2020
Herman Cain, ex-presidential candidate who refused to wear mask, dies after COVID-19 diagnosis https://t.co/sDehhghcpR pic.twitter.com/caPp9gLFw1
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 30, 2020
Other critics chimed in as well:
Herman Cain’s final indignity is Trump hawking some other guy’s pizza on the day of his death. https://t.co/76XpU17lij
— Brian Beutler (@brianbeutler) July 30, 2020
Donald Trump should be charged with the murder of Herman Cain.
— Ron Perlman (@perlmutations) July 30, 2020
Oh, fuck off. Pretending Herman Cain was some victim of misinformation is an insult to his lifelong advocacy of “personal responsibility.” He was a grown ass empty shell of a man capable of making his own decisions. He chose to wipe his ass with science and not wash his hands.
— ????Aiden Wolfe (@AidenWolfe) July 30, 2020
Herman Cain getting cooked on here lol
— yc (@yc) July 30, 2020
Several supporters of Cain took direct aim at Navarro:
You have to reach a never-before-seen gutter of soulless bitch, to openly gloat about elderly men dying.
Congratulations, @ananavarro—on the politically expedient death of senior citizens. https://t.co/QbsOlw1NtR
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) July 30, 2020
This is abjectly disgusting. Not in a partisan way. In a basic human decency way. https://t.co/KftxzLbZ7h
— Buck Sexton (@BuckSexton) July 30, 2020
“Siri, what does an awful person say when someone dies?” https://t.co/SzuEyi6VEt
— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) July 30, 2020
There’s a legit hole in your soul https://t.co/U9MhmVK26A
— Jon Miller (@MillerStream) July 30, 2020
Kicking while down?
How about scolding while dead?
The bar for decency is pretty low, but it’s absolutely possible to miss it. https://t.co/xgsPFTU75n
— JJJ (@Johnny_Joey) July 30, 2020
If you’re making hate-filled statements regarding Herman Cain’s death, remember; last week you were proclaiming ‘black lives matter.’ That would include him.
— Red Nation Rising (@RedNationRising) July 30, 2020
People keep sending me this video of me and Herman Cain dancing at the Trump Tulsa Rally.
They are laughing & making fun of his death and blaming Trump.
He was a grown man and could have caught Covid from anywhere.
We loved him! Stop laughing! Evil
— Terrence K. Williams (@w_terrence) July 30, 2020
I was negative for Covid before & after I was with Herman Cain. I’m negative today. Stop throwing his death in my face and Please stop pointing the finger and making his death about politics.
He was good man and very intelligent. We will miss you Herman.
— Terrence K. Williams (@w_terrence) July 30, 2020
This is the kind of vicious, political cruelty that abounds lacking real evidence. I am even seeing similar posts on #catholictwitter about a Covid positive priest! May God have mercy on these hard hearts. And may Herman Cain RIP. https://t.co/fYhQKlqZ0m
— Raymond Arroyo (@RaymondArroyo) July 30, 2020
