The allegations against Herman Cain are no longer vague, and they’re no longer coming from anonymous sources. So, if Cain has been honest about his past, he should be able to give a straightforward response to the charges. Sharon Bialek provided plenty of details that he can dispute: did he meet her in Washington to talk about a job? Did he buy her a hotel suite? Did he grope her in his car?

Any discrepancies over the details, especially ones that can be independently established, could end up unraveling her claims. And if Bialek had an ulterior motive to manufacture this story, there’s a good chance it will be uncovered during the next few days, as her background and associations are scoured by reporters and Cain campaign operatives.

But if Cain hasn’t been honest about his past, this is just the beginning of the very slow and painful end of his political career. Anonymous accusers can be attacked and dismissed. It’s much harder to do that when there’s a name, a face, and serious, detailed allegations. Cain is going to have to answer to the accusations, and his latest statement saying the charges are “completely false” doesn’t cut it.

Like we saw with the Anthony Weiner scandal, an initial statement by one woman could also encourage others to come out publicly with more accusations. Bialek is the fourth woman to claim Cain treated her inappropriately, and the pattern suggests there are more shoes to drop. Whether or not it’s fair to judge someone based on “he said-she said” allegations from more than a decade ago, this all but ensures Cain will be contending with this sexual harassment scandal for the rest of his time on the campaign trail.