The last time Herman Cain and Pokémon shared headlines was 2011, when the politician, announcing the termination of his campaign for Republican presidential nominee, quoted an entire stanza of the theme to Pokémon 2000. Five years and another botched presidential campaign have passed without so much as a comment on the series from Cain, but today the silence ends. Thanks to the popularity of Pokémon Go — and the cold fact that time itself is just an interminable feelingless Vine — Cain has a new message for the kids.

"The Pokémon Go game that they have — be careful out there," says Cain in a video published by Toronto Star reporter Daniel Dale. "That’s all I can say. Because it’s been used to lure people into situations where they’ve been robbed. So be very careful out there. I think it is an excellent, brilliant, entertaining concept, but people have to be really careful.

Whatever your opinion on Cain, his unabashed love for Pokémon is humanizing, particularly in relief of Hillary Clinton and other politicians who’ve used the fad for some gimme publicity points. In that 2011 quote, he doesn’t just recite the film’s lyrics, he defends their poignancy in the face of their genesis.

"I believe these words came from the Pokémon movie," Cain said, making it clear this was not an accident or act of plagiarism. "The media pointed that out. I’m not sure who the original author is. So don’t go writing an article about the point. But it says a lot about where I am, where I am with my wife and family, and where we are as a nation."

And then he quoted: "Life can be a challenge. Life can seem impossible. It’s never easy when there’s so much on the line. But you and I can make a difference. There’s a mission just for you and me. Just look inside and you will find just what you can do."

You could say Cain is a thought leader. In 2016, what are children's cartoons but mechanisms of the political machine?