I am in contact with a woman whose identity I have agreed not to divulge, a middle-aged affluent Republican homemaker in the snooty Park Cities portion of Dallas, who says that she has not had an affair with Herman Cain.
Of course I found her story difficult to believe at first, and I have subjected it to rigorous examination, testing the details in every imaginable way. I am now convinced that she is telling the truth.
She is not willing to come forward to tell her story because of her worry that she and her family will be subjected to public ridicule. She fears the reaction of friends and family when they learn of her years-long practice of deception.
"Whenever it came up at book club or the PTA, I just lied about it," she told me. "I said, 'Oh, sure, me too. Lots of times.' I guess I just wanted to fit in."
Describing herself as a "tried and true life-long Republican," she said, "You can't imagine what a story like this would do to a person in our circles. If the word ever got out, it would just be devastating. And you know how cruel children can be."
I have been trying to persuade this woman to come forward because I think her story is politically significant at a national level. By showing that there are exceptions, I think it puts the lie to some of the aggressive brand-building that Republican women have been engaging in on the Cain matter. If these Republican women were all what they claim, why wouldn't we have seen more of them in the movies?
I have not yet started trying to reach the Cain camp, but I think we know what to expect there -- the same sly double-entendre nondenials of which we have heard so many already: "It wasn't that big a deal," "I barely remember," "She should have paid me."
But I think this accusation -- that there is a Republican woman in Texas who has not had sex with Herman Cain -- is a quite different challenge for the candidate. Now, for a change, the shoe is on the other foot.
To get out of this, he's going to have to have pictures. If he does, I shall admit my error, and we will do a slide show.
Coming up next: My demographic survey to find out how many young Republican children are named Herman or Hermione.
