It gets so hard to tell these days reading headlines, everything is HUGE NEWS until the next big thing. Personally I don’t have the highest regard for Dr. Carson, but this whole bit doesn’t really move the needle for me. Just seems so weird.
OK, imagine this. You’re 18 years old. You’re an outstanding student. You don’t know squat about the details of applying to West Point, and don’t really care all that much, because you have your eyes on the Ivy League. But you’re in ROTC and go to an Army banquet and meet some bigwigs and at some point someone says to you:
“Hey Ben, we’ve heard a lot about you and we’re impressed. Have you thought about applying to West Point? We can make it happen, we have contacts. And when you get in, you won’t have to pay a thing, not a single penny.”
Are you then some kind of outrageous liar if you remember it years later as, “I was offered a full scholarship to West Point (but turned it down because I went to a better and more prestigious school?)”
I can’t believe I’m defending Carson, but like I said, when it comes to dubious statements made by him this one isn’t even worth mentioning.
The West Point thing really is pointless. I agree with Fishbreath and Human Ton.
That said, this is more interesting IMO: (WARNING SALON LINK)
Pushing him on his complaints of a mainstream media bias, Camerota asked Carson about a new Mother Jones report highlighting a 2014 speech during which the retired neurosurgeon said that “we’d be Cuba if there were no Fox News,” and joking that some Americans are “stupid.”
Camerota attempted, to no avail, to get Carson to clarify which Americans he was describing as “stupid.”
“So, just to be clear, people who support food stamps or Medicaid or welfare,” Camerota asked.
“I didn’t say that, now you’re trying to put words into my mouth,” Carson cut in. “Why don’t you listen to what I just told you?”
“It sounds like what you’re saying are liberals,” she pressed. “You mean that if Fox News didn’t exist, we would be a communist country?”
“No. Again, there you go with sensationalism,” he said angrily. “That’s what you try to do. You hope somehow that will resonate with people who don’t think for themselves. I’ve got news for you, people are a lot smarter than you think they are, and they know exactly what I’m talking about.”
“Dr. Carson, you said it!” Camerota said in her defense. “Dr. Carson, I’m quoting — I’m not even quoting you, I’m playing your words. You are the person who said there are a lot of people who are stupid and without Fox News, we would be Cuba.”
“I can’t believe that you used to work on Fox News!” Carson shot back in exasperation.
You all make fair points. I am probably the weirdo here in that outrageous claims and campaign promises don’t even blip my radar - hell, I expect them - but a twinge of dishonesty catches my attention. Following politics these days is almost beyond my abilities.
This is the reason that Christie has been my first choice for a while, that and his straight talk on entitlement reform and other issues.
I understand Fox’s decision to drop people who aren’t polling well. I just don’t understand why more Republicans don’t support him. I guess being a successful Governor with some cross over appeal to Democrats is disqualifying for a Republican.
I am with you. Other than his impressive medical career, the ONLY thing that at all is appealing about Dr. Carson is his character. So incident like this where he is embelishing his resume are jarring.
Why though did they choose Investor Business Daily (or whatever it was) over CBS/NY Times? The later I think would have put Christie in the main stage as well as putting in Graham over Jindal. Seems kinda arbitrary to me.
Not to worry. Nothing could possibly have prepared us for the weirdness that is the election.
I mean, the other big story about Carson today is him saying, “Hey media! Quit slandering me by suggesting I didn’t stab someone when I was a teenager.”
Here’s what Ben Carson had to say about liars:
“I said he reminds you of a psychopath, because they tend to be extremely smooth, charming people who can tell a lie to your face with complete — it looks like sincerity, even though they know it’s a lie,” Carson told CNBC’s John Harwood.
Well given that after the top 3 or 4 candidates all the other candidates polling is with the margin of error, it all seems pretty arbitary to me.
Tuesday’s election the polls were pretty much universally wrong and in fact were outside the margin of error, which should alert people to the fact the polls claim that 95% of the time that the election should fall within the margin of error are pretty much BS.
I would guess because IBD is generally a pretty far right publication (editorially, at least).
Enough so that I tend to lump them closer to WND than Fox…
He got his picture taken with Obama when they were looking at the damage from Hurricane Sandy. That makes him a RINO.
Scuzz
2734
Didn’t also do the unthinkable and thank Obama for his help or something like that? You would have thought he had spit on Reagan’s grave.
The main reason for Christie’s fall among Republicans has been his immigration stance. That’s held back Rubio too, until now, when people are looking for non-Trump/Carson options and don’t want to go further right to Cruz. Christie’s not dead yet - being in the small field might make him really standout like Fiorini did in the first kiddie table debate and get him some progress.
Hal9000
2737
I am starting to feel this way about him. I absolutely won’t vote for another Clinton or Bush. I guess I kind of echo what Oghier, Menzo, and Mr_PeaCH said. I feel much more positive if all that wasn’t just fluff. I need to take the time to research him.
OTOH, I think that Hillary would be interesting. She’s the world’s most lifelike automaton. [-:|
Good stuff, Ben.
CNN was unable to independently confirm any of the incidents, which Carson said occurred when he was a juvenile.
Carson’s campaign adviser and business manager, Armstrong Williams, declined repeated requests by CNN to provide details about the history of violence Carson has described, including the identities of his alleged victims and witnesses. CNN also asked the campaign for documentation of any disciplinary actions that resulted.
“Why would anyone cooperate with your obvious witch hunt?” Williams wrote in an email last Friday. “No comment and moving on… Happy Halloween!!!”
CNN contacted the campaign once again Wednesday afternoon to share its findings and received the same response.
Maybe Carson just made everything up?
Timex
2739
Hey now, it doesn’t matter WHO he stabbed.
Most of the other candidates probably never even stabbed anyone!
Seriously though, this is going to be the most awesome thing ever if this guy’s candidacy is ended because he DIDN’T commit a felony.
RichVR
2740
While we are Twittering. Full scholarship.
Everyone except progressive liberals knows that Stonehenge was a dog park created by Noah after the flood.
