Carson Backs Off Comments About US Muslims Cheering on 9/11

[brooklynite]

Source: ABC News

Hours after telling reporters that he saw a video of American Muslims in New Jersey cheering on Sept. 11, 2001, when the World Trade Center's twin towers fell, Ben Carson's campaign apologized for the remarks, saying he "doesn't stand behind" them and that they were "a mistake."

When asked by ABC News if American Muslims were cheering on 9/11 -- as has been suggested by Donald Trump -- Carson said “Yes.”

However, Carson made a 180 a short time later.

"He doesn't stand behind his comments to New Jersey and American Muslims," said campaign spokesman Doug Watts said. "He was rather thinking of the protests going on in the Middle East and some of the demonstrations that we're going on in celebration of the towers going down.



Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/ben-carson-newsreels-american-muslims-cheering-911/story?id=35376256

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I think he's going down for the last time.

[leftynyc]

21. Conspiracy bullshit from

the worst bullshit artist on the left - Cockburn. Thinks Israel did 9/11. Fuck him. I honestly can't believe anyone here listens to this clown.

[Codeine]

25. Take your Jew-baiting bullshit elsewhere.

May I suggest Stormfront?

[grasswire]

2. well, Iran was holding a candlelight vigil for the victims. nt

[PSPS]

8. Yes, and Yasir Arafat donated blood, and sympathy was universal in every country.

I remember seeing pictures of vigils created outside every US Embassy in the world, including those in countries ordinarily our adversary. Too bad that once-in-many-lifetimes window of possibility was summarily dismissed by the criminal cabal in the white house at the time.

[tblue37]

9. He "doesn't stand behind" those comments? That's what you say when some intemperate

staffer goes off message and starts blathering politically damaging crap. Those remarks were not spewed by some staffer but by the candidate himself, so it's not as easy to disavow them.

[PSPS]

14. huh?

[tblue37]

16. It is ridiculous for Carson or his campaign to say he "doesn't stand behind"

comments that he himself made.

When a politician's staffer does or says something that the public clearly disapproves of, even if it is what the politician believes, and even if the politician told the staffer to run the comments up the flagpole to see how people react, the politician will cover his ass by saying he doesn't stand behind the staffer's comments.

The point is to maintain plausible deniability, as if the staffer made the comment all on his own, entirely without the knowledge or approval of the politician. That way the politician protects his image from being contaminated by the public backlash against the action or statement.

But when the politician himself says or does whatever it is that the public is disgusted or outraged by, it is absurd for him to say he doesn't stand behind his own words or actions, as though someone else is responsible for them.

That is the point of my comment that provoked your "huh?"

[PSPS]

17. I see. You were replying to the wrong post.

[Skittles]

18. he is unable to say, "I WAS WRONG."

another character flaw

[leftynyc]

22. But exactly what the teabaggers want

which is why they love donald. Never apologize - it shows weakness. Imbeciles.

[catnhatnh]

3. Carson is very Reaganesque...

My heart and my best intentions still tell me that's true, but the facts and evidence tell me it is not." - Ronald Reagan, admitting the Iran-Contra Affair, March 1987 ...

[Sunlei]

4. republicans will continue to play Carson for many more months.

Carson is great media bait, all media bite on his bizarre- weird words. $$fox$$

[lordsummerisle]

10. Not so sure about that

he's fading in the polls now and with all the emphasis on foreign policy and security and his inability to effectively address those issues, Repubs will be looking for someone with a stronger message, i.e. Trump, Rubio and Cruz...

[Enrique]

5. i've never seen this much making up of shit

in a presidential election. Starting with Carly Fiorina talking about the abortion video she saw but which doesn't exist.

I think it's the influence of RW radio, where the audience demands made-up shit.

[Skittles]

19. yes

they have been lapping up made-up shit for so long they no longer know what is real and what is not real

[underpants]

26. You nailed it

I think it's the influence of RW radio, where the audience demands made-up shit.

[RKP5637]

28. Sometimes I tune in RW radio to hear what they are saying, it's another alternative universe for

sure. The lies and distortions are chilling.

[underpants]

30. I do too

It used to be a great way of hearing the next BS storyline now it's just like a Top 40 station - the same thing all day in a loop.

They get up and Fox & Friends (really all morning shows) give them their talking points, anytime they are in a car it is reinforced (Beck sometimes has his own craziness) and then they get home for the same "News" and then Megan and the old men finish off the day approving it.

When they got to or watch rally's they DEMAND to hear the same thing. You gotta play the hits as they say.

[RKP5637]

31. I used to travel through some pretty RW states/areas. I'd get up in the morning and go down

for breakfast at the hotel/motel and guests would be sitting in the dining room, Fox News blaring ... they were in like a trance getting their scripts and talking points for the day. Dead pan looks on their faces, eyes glazed over, staring at Fox News like a mind meld was going on.

[Angry Dragon]

6. Ben sees many things that lesser men can not

[rurallib]

7. Trump, Carson, Fiorina, Bush making Rubio and Cruz seem almost sane

by comparison. Repugs have such a low bar that not being totally fucking crazy like the rest of the pack gives you a big kick to being president.

On our side a candidate has to be damn near a saint. On their side, just not certifiably insane.

[WestSeattle2]

11. The man can't possibly be this stupid. Is he medicated?

[Skittles]

20. I think the man IS that stupid

which does not say much about what it takes to be a surgeon, no?

[NCjack]

12. Ben, Don't back down! Those drugs you took did not cause you to hallucinate.

Instead, they sharpened and intensified your memory. You saw that video.

[truthisfreedom]

13. Ben Carson doesn't stand behind Ben Carson.

What a president he'd make. Can you imagine the gaffes? NUKE RUSSIA! (several hours pass...) No, wait, I didn't mean that. I mean't Russia has nukes.

[flamingdem]

15. I have a theory about the cheering Muslims

There were cheering Muslims on the West Bank. At least that is what was said at the time. Now that was on CNN. Suppose you were watching Fox? They could have implied that it was nearby to stoke hate.

Does anyone remember those "newsreels"?

[leftynyc]

23. I remember them

I remember the only people I saw cheering were from the West Bank and some from Gaza. EVERYONE else was showing support. Donald lied and his supporters don't give a shit - it's that simple.

[randome]

27. Was the West Bank in New Jersey at the time?

Because that's where Trump said he saw cheering. I don't recall if Carson made that same specific 'mistake'.

On edit: he was that specific.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ben-carson-trump-cheering-nj-9-11

"There were people that were cheering on the other side of New Jersey where you have large Arab populations."

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Precision and concision. That's the game.[/center][/font][hr]

[flamingdem]

32. Somehow I think - since the two of them are equally flakey

... well maybe Carson wins in that department ...but they might have just make a false connection. A false memory.

Which goes to show the quality of minds at work. Now if Trump is fully making it up he is diabolical and willing to do anything to win. It might be a new campaign strategy.

[Vinca]

24. You would think his "handlers" would run like the wind.

He reminds me of Sarah Palin and I'm sure Steve Schmidt and Nicolle Wallace rue the day they thought that was a good idea.

[randome]

29. His handlers have extensive backgrounds.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Precision and concision. That's the game.[/center][/font][hr]