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Wife defends Cain in first interview, says he ‘totally respects women’

The wife of besieged Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain has given her first televised interview, after her husband’s approval ratings fell in the wake of sexual harassment allegations against him.

Gloria Cain sat down with FOX News Channel’s Greta Van Susteren for a conversation to be screened Monday night.

In the interview — part of an effort to rehabilitate her husband’s image — Gloria Cain says “he totally respects women,” according to a transcript cited by media outlets including The Washington Post and Politico on Sunday night.

Gloria Cain, who has kept a low profile since her husband announced in May that he was running for president, said the accusations did not tally with the man she has been married to for 43 years.

“You hear the graphic allegations and we know that would have been something that’s totally disrespectful of her as a woman. And I know the type of person he is. He totally respects women,” she told Van Susteren.

“I’m thinking he would have to have a split personality to do the things that were said.”

Herman Cain’s woes began when Politico reported that at least two women received settlements from the National Restaurant Association (NRA) after lodging sexual harassment claims against the former pizza executive while he headed the lobbying group from 1996-1999.

Four women have now accused him of sexual harassment, including two whose identities have been revealed publicly.

Throughout the episode, the strongly ranked GOP contender has maintained his wife is “200 percent” supportive of him — and her comments appear to support that claim.