Congratulations, Newt Gingrich. It’s now your turn to take up the Not-Romney mantle.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Do you view China as a potential military threat to the United States?

HERMAN CAIN: I do view China as a potential military threat to the United States… we already have superiority in terms of our military capability, and I plan to get away from making cutting our defense a priority and make investing in our military capability a priority, going back to my statement: peace through strength and clarity. So yes they’re a military threat. They’ve indicated that they’re trying to develop nuclear capability and they want to develop more aircraft carriers like we have. So yes, we have to consider them a military threat.

China tested its first weapon in 1964 and has been a recognized nuclear power for decades. In fact, China and the Soviet Union nearly started a nuclear war in 1969, but Richard Nixon made it clear he would obliterate 130 different cities in the Soviet Union if they made the move against China. War was averted, thankfully.

There’s absolutely no excuse for Cain, seeking the position of Commander-in-Chief, to be ignorant of China’s membership in the Global Nuclear Club. Not knowing how many nuclear weapons China has would be understandable. Not knowing China has any nuclear weapons isn’t acceptable.

An out? Ace floats the idea that Cain was referring to “nuclear capability” in the context of the aircraft carriers he then side China is looking to build. It’s a possibility (and might explain why Woodruff didn’t correct him), but I’m not really buying it. Whatever. It provides him an easy out. He can say he was referring to nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Viable excuses are more important than reality in politics.