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November 08, 2011 | | CRISIS Herman Cain is taking the latest round of sexual harassment allegations head on: he will respond at a news conference Tuesday to the accusation of Sharon Bialek, a woman who says he offered her a job at the National Restaurant Association in exchange for sexual favors in the 1990s. In an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday, Cain said he plans to “set the record straight” and called the accusations “totally fabricated.” He also said his wife, Gloria, is standing by him. Despite his vehement denial, The Daily Beast’s Michelle Goldberg writes that the accuser’s story rings true—and is all too familiar to many women. Europe If Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s days are numbered, he’s not letting on. The rumors of my resignation are groundless,” he wrote on Facebook Monday. Nevertheless, Berlusconi faces a key budget vote on Tuesday, and if he loses he is expected either to resign or face a no-confidence vote. If the budget measure fails—and it may not, since its opponents may abstain rather than vote against it—The Guardian’s John Hooper says Berlusconi will likely resign before facing a confidence vote he thinks he’ll lose. CABINET CHANGE In an unusual move for a White House chief of staff, William M. Daley has relinquished his day-to-day management roles as Obama’s top aide after 10 months in the position. According to The Wall Street Journal, Daley’s tense relations with both Republicans and Democrats in Congress are behind his role change. He reportedly angered other Democrats in Congress by trying to cut deals on the side with congressional Republicans. President Obama approved the role change, which will see Pete Rouse take over for Daley, in an attempt to smooth over relations in his administration as he prepares his reelection campaign, sources said. BOXING LEGEND Former boxing champion Joe Frazier passed away late Monday at age 67. The heavyweight champion, who battled in the ring with Muhammed Ali three times and was the first to beat him, suffered from liver cancer. His family released a statement saying that he died at his home in Philadelphia. Frazier, who was diagnosed last month and had been visiting hospitals since early October, spent the last week in hospice treatment. BEHIND THE SCENES After speaking publicly for a G20 press conference last Thursday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and President Obama reportedly got into a heated exchange in which Sarkozy declared he could not “stand” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and called him “a liar.” The French website Arrêt Sur Image posted the report on Monday, which said the conversation turned to Netanyahu after President Obama berated Sarkozy for not having warned him that France would vote in support of Palestinian membership in UNESCO, despite the White House’s strong opposition to the bid. The report claims that neither president knew his microphone was still on when they started venting to one another about Israel’s prime minister. Obama reportedly responded with equal fervor to Sarkozy, saying, “You’re fed up with him, but I have to deal with him every day!” One would think that such gaffes would be all over the media, but the website maintains reporters were asked to sign papers promising they wouldn’t leak the secret conversation. | | 
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