“CBC Barbados”
Herman Cain, a former presidential hopeful who was once considered by President Donald Trump for the Federal Reserve, has died after being hospitalized with the coronavirus. He was 74.
Cainโs death was announced Thursday on his website by Dan Calabrese, who edits the site and had previously written about his colleagueโs diagnosis.
โHerman Cain โ our boss, our friend, like a father to so many of us โ has passed away,โ Calabrese said in the blog post.
Cain was among the highest-profile public figures in the United States to have died from Covid-19. A 74-year-old survivor of stage 4 colon cancer, Cain had been a business executive and the board chairman of a branch of Kansas Cityโs Federal Reserve Bank before moving into Republican politics and eventually becoming a presidential candidate.
Last year, Trump briefly considered picking Cain as his nominee to join the Federal Reserve Board. Cain remained a vocal supporter of Trumpโs after his nomination was withdrawn, and he attended the presidentโs controversial reelection rally in Oklahoma in June, shortly before being diagnosed with the coronavirus.
Calabrese did not immediately respond to CNBCโs request for additional comment. Cain had been hospitalized in Atlanta on July 1, two days after being told he had tested positive for Covid-19, according to a statement posted to his social media accounts at the time.
He did not require a respirator and was โawake and alertโ when he checked in to the hospital, the statement said. โPlease join with us in praying for Mr. Cain, and for everyone who has contracted the coronavirus โ as well as their families,โ it said.
Cainโs social media accounts occasionally provided vague updates on his condition. A message on July 5 said he was โmaking progressโ and that โmore encouraging newsโ was expected to come soon. Two days later, Cainโs Twitter account said โdoctors are trying to make sure his oxygen levels are right.โ
On July 10, another tweet said Cain himself described his status as โcruise control,โ because โthe progress is slow but his breathing is getting stronger every day. Make no mistake: He is improving!โ
Less than two weeks before receiving his diagnosis, Cain had attended Trumpโs rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the marquee event for the presidentโs self-proclaimed reelection campaign kickoff.
Cain, a vocal supporter of Trump, tweeted a photograph of himself at the rally surrounded by other attendees, none of whom appeared to be wearing masks or other protective gear.
