Herman Cain accuses the media of not covering his presidential campaign as a serious effort on his part.

By now, it’s fairly common knowledge that four women are accusing Cain of sexual harassment. The fourth woman alleging sexual harassment came forward Monday.

Cain denies the allegations. He seems to believe the media’s reporting of those allegations indicates the media is not serious about his campaign.

The following is part of a statement Cain released Monday:

“I am a serious person, seeking the opportunity to do a serious and very important job. Our nation has very serious problems, particularly of an economic nature, and Barack Obama does not have the skill, knowledge or will to solve them. “I do.

“Unfortunately, the media-driven process by which one must seek this opportunity is fundamentally unserious. I have touched on this before – the emphasis on ‘gaffes,’ gotcha questions and time devoted to trivial nonsense – and everyone knows the process only became further detached from relevance this week as the media published anonymous, ancient, vague personal allegations against me.

“Once this kind of nonsense starts, the media’s rules say you have to act in a certain way. I am well aware of these rules. And I refuse to play by them.”

When Cain, a leading presidential candidate, acknowledges a settlement concerning a sexual-harassment claim against him, that’s news. It is the media taking his campaign seriously. Cain’s reaction to the media’s coverage of his troubles is the all-too-familiar response of killing the messenger.

As for his statement about being aware of the media’s “rules” and refusing to play by them, there are rules governing behavior in the workplace. It appears Cain refused to play by those rules.

Cain is wise enough to know that if you don’t play by the rules – and you get caught – there are consequences to pay.

Wonder if Cain’s campaign could stand a stop at Truth or Consequences, N.M.?