Exclusive: Herman Cain Feeling 'Like Moses' and Ready for Media 'Gotcha' Questions

In a Brody File exclusive, presidential candidate Herman Cain talks about his meteoric rise, saying “God’s been in this from the beginning” and that he “felt like Moses when God said I want you to go into Egypt and lead my people out.”

He also defends the timing of his recent book tour, saying it will help him with name identification.

Plus he remarks, “When the media starts writing me checks to my campaign, I’ll let them write my campaign strategy.”

He also says he’s ready for the gotcha questions from the media, saying, “When they ask me who’s the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan I’m going to say, 'You know, I don’t know. Do you know? And then I’m going to say, 'how’s that going to create one job?'”

It’s all part of a fascinating interview with “The Hermanator” that I did Friday afternoon at the Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C. Watch the five clips below.

MANDATORY COURTESY: CBN NEWS/THE BRODY FILE

The Brody File also talked to Rick Perry and Rick Santorum. Check The Brody File blog for those clips. A full report on the Values Voter Summit airs Monday on "The 700 Club."

Herman Cain on his rise in the polls:

David Brody: It seemed that there was something different out there tonight. I’m wondering if you’re sensing that as well in terms of not just the crowd’s reaction because it was your type of crowd but what you’re saying and what’s going on in this country. Do you see a specific difference from a week or two weeks ago to what’s going on right now?

Herman Cain: The answer is yes and here’s what the difference is. That Florida Straw Poll sent two very resounding messages. Number one: The voice of the people is stronger than the voice of the media. The media was trying to make this into a two-person race between Gov. Romney and Gov. Perry.

That straw poll which votes were cast by delegates who were informed and active and I won it overwhelmingly. The second message that came out of that straw poll was that message is more powerful than money. They spent a considerable amount of money Gov. Romney and Gov. Perry, trying to influence the right way the outcome of that straw poll.

We rented a bus, traveled around and held rallies, standing room only, talking to people and talking about the solutions to the crisis that I have outlined in many of my speeches.

Herman Cain on God’s hand in his campaign:

Brody: Where does God fit into this because you were a long shot and now jetting to the top of the polls? How do you see God’s role in all of this?

Cain: God’s been in this from the beginning because when I first started to feel that I needed to consider running I did a lot of praying. I felt like Moses when God said, 'I want you to go into Egypt and lead my people out.' Moses resisted. I resisted. Moses said you got the wrong person. You can’t be talking about me.

I had these conversations with God in terms of, ‘Lord, I’ve done a lot of things but are you sure? But you shouldn’t question God. You should just make sure that’s the message.

God has been in this since the beginning and my staff and I we say that all the time. There are certain things that happen along this journey that they couldn’t happen unless God was in it. I know that for a fact because of my life long faith.

Herman Cain on going on book tour rather than campaigning right now in Iowa:

Brody: I’m wondering about the path forward. Talk to me about Iowa. The media has been getting on you because of this book tour…Explain to people the deal on that.

Cain: When the media starts writing me checks to my campaign, I’ll let them write my campaign strategy. Here’s the deal: We’ve been to Iowa 24 times since the beginning of the year. We have a very solid staff in Iowa. We’ve got a solid base of support in Iowa. I’m planning to go back to Iowa but people don’t realize and the same ones who are saying why aren’t you spending more time in Iowa, they aren’t writing my campaign strategy.

This book tour is helping me overcome a weakness. I had a low name ID. This book tour is helping to raise my name ID. So you’ve got Gov. Perry, Gov. Romney, even Speaker Gingrich - they’ve got much higher name ID.

So we see this book tour as a way to have raised my name ID. At the same time we are continuing to campaign and doing fundraisers and do events. And so the two are not mutually exclusive and this is why we don’t see this book tour as a conflict.

Herman Cain on the expected media "Gotcha" questions:

Brody: Are you ready for the gotcha questions that are coming from the media and others? Like who’s the president of Uzbekistan? It’s coming. All of this stuff and how are you dealing with that?

Cain: I’m ready for the ‘gotcha’ questions and they’re already starting to come. And when they ask me who is the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan I’m going to say, 'You know, I don’t know. Do you know?' And then I’m going to say, 'how’s that going to create one job?'

I want to focus on the top priorities of this country. That’s what leaders do. They make sure that the nation is focused on the critical issues with critical solutions. Knowing who is the head of some of these small insignificant states around the world, I don’t think that is something that is critical to focusing on national security and getting this economy going.

When I get ready to go visit that country, I’ll know who it is. But until then I want to focus on the big issues that we need to solve.

Herman Cain on criticisms of his 9-9-9 Tax Plan:

Cain: One of the questions that I have been getting all week relative to 9-9-9, ‘Well aren’t you afraid that the bureaucrats in Congress are going to be tempted to turn it into 18-18-18?'

No. We’ve got two deterrents. The first is the legislation I’m going to ask the members of Congress to include a two-thirds majority vote of the Senate before they can touch the numbers.

Secondly, the visibility of it that the people understand it they will be in an uproar if Congress tries to raise it because they can’t control their spending. Making it visible, simple, fair, and understandable was part of the whole strategy coming up with the 9-9-9 plan.