Is Herman Cain's Candidacy an Big Inside Joke?

Rachel Maddow of msnbc sure seems to think so. And her arguments are very persuasive. This may be a bunch of inside jokes and subtle pop-culture references calculated to mock the political process, or to serve as an audition for a show on Fox, or simply just a way to gain free national attention and sell more books.

Some of Rachel's examples:

• He ended his first debate with a pre-written closing statement quoting "a famous poet" which turned out to be a lyric from a Pokemon song;
• His bizarre 9-9-9 plan was allegedly written by a "secret" economist, but was really written by a local bank employee at a Wells Fargo branch on Chagrin Boulevard in Pepper Pike, OH. 
• This 9-9-9 plan was originally seen as a tax plan in a video game from the '90s called Sim City;
• He has yet to set up a campaign staff in any key state;
• When he was referred to as the latest Republican flavor-of-the-month, he said he's not -- but that he has "staying power just like Haagen Daas Black Walnut Ice Cream."  That flavor has no staying power -- it was discontinued years ago;
• He admittedly knows nothing about basic policy. He never heard the term "Neo-con," admitted he had no clue what the Palestinian "right of return" meant; and joked that he had no idea who the leader of "Ubeki-beki-beki-stani-stan" is;
• The bizarre commercials with his campaign chief smoking at the end;
• Claims China is "attempting to develop nuclear weapons," when, in fact, they've had nuclear weapons since 1964;
• Proclaims he's proud to be connected to the billionaire Koch brothers, and says he's their "brother from another mother," which is a line stolen from the Ben Stiller movie, Meet the Fockers.

Waaaay too many ridiculous gaffes to be real, Rachel claims. Maybe he's trying to let us in on the joke?  Is this whole campaign an art project?

Watch Rachel's clip and decide for yourself: