Very logical response. Can I agree while at the same time disagreeing a bit?
There may have been smoke. Or at the very least, comments or actions that were misinterpreted. Or perhaps, just women out looking for money. In the workplace, men have to be overly careful about what is said. Not even with good female friends/colleagues will I comment on appearance, clothes, etc. Even something as innocent as "I like your new hair style" or "that's a nice outfit, is it new?" can be interpreted, twisted and used in a sexual harassment charge. Sirkicky is right; these were negotiated settlements. But firing these women would likely bring a nasty, unlawful termination lawsuits. Many states have "implied contract" laws even if employment is "at will." So it's a lot cleaner and cheaper to negotiate a settlement without admitting any guilt on the part of the employer and just be done with it. Naturally a NDA would be part of the settlement.
I'm not a Cain supporter, but I don't give a whole lot of credence to these claims. If his actions were horrific or blatant, the police would have been involved or a lawsuit filed. Not excusing anything, but I'll bet 99% of us (at least us men and probably the female posters too) have at some point done or said something that could be defined as sexual harassment by today's standards. Personally, I welcome any comments about the way I look or dress or someone noticing that I've been working out and lost weight. Could that be harassment? Yes, especially if turned around and a male makes a comment about a female. That's just the way it is in today's society. So be careful out there folks, especially when dealing with members of the other sex in the workplace.