Palin: 'Herb' Cain is 'flavor of the week'

Sarah Palin dismissed Florida Straw Poll winner Herman Cain as "the flavor of the week" and mistook the candidate's first name in an appearance Tuesday night on Fox News.

"Take Herman Cain. Look at why he's doing so well right now. I guess you could say, with all due respect, he’s the flavor of the week," the former governor of Alaska said. "Because Herb [sic] Cain is the one up there who doesn't look like he's part of that permanent political class — he came from a working-class family. He's had to make it on his own all these years. We respect that."

Cain defended his campaign Wednesday morning on CBS.

"Rather than being the flavor of the week, people are saying, ah, there is more to that flavor than meets the eye," Cain said. "I have a message that is resonating with the American people, the voters."

The former CEO of Godfather's Pizza made waves last weekend when he more than doubled the vote share of the presumptive front-runner, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, in the Florida Straw poll. The candidate is hoping to parlay that success into momentum for his campaign, and avoid the quick fall from grace experienced by others in the Republican field.

"As you look at my campaign, it continues to build and build and build. It doesn't go down. Cain supporters do not defect," Cain said.

Palin, for her part, has not yet decided whether to enter the presidential race, although a decision is expected within the month to insure her ability to get on all the necessary primary ballots.

But while pundits had initially thought the former governor would best be served by sitting out the election cycle, perceived discontent with the Republican field and improving poll numbers could urge Palin toward a run. Palin, who was the party's vice presidential nominee in 2008, addressed the question Tuesday night, saying she was concerned that the obligations of the presidency might be too constraining.

"I'm going to keep repeating though ... my process of decision-making with my family and with my close friends as to whether I should throw my name in the hat for the GOP nomination for 2012: Is a title worth it?" she said. "Does a title shackle a person? Are they — someone like me, maverick, you know, I do go rogue, and I call it like I see it, and I don't mind stirring it up ... is a title and is a campaign too shackling? Does that prohibit me from being out there, out of the box, not allowing handlers to shape me?"

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