Ben Carson Moves Toward Presidential Run
Source: Weekly Standard
Over the years, there have been many attempts to get me to throw my hat in the political arena, Carson writes in his new book, One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save Americas Future. I have been offered support from around the country and tremendous financial resources if I decide to run for national office. But I have not felt the call to run.
Carson writes that he suspects many others interested in high office would be better candidates. But in his book he has a caveat: If I felt called by God to officially enter the world of politics, I would certainly not hesitate to do so.
Interviewed this week, Carson said hes starting to feel it. Because every place I go, its unbelievable. One lady really touched me the other night She just kept clinging to my hand and said, You have to run. You have to run. And so many people tell me that, and so I think Im starting to hear something.
Read more: http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/ben-carson-moves-toward-presidential-run_792757.html
I sometimes feel a "fire in the belly" as well, but I take an antacid and it goes away...
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)shenmue
(38,501 posts)Mr.Bill
(24,104 posts)that can make all the other ones look like idiots in the debates while being one himself. Bring it.
immoderate
(20,885 posts)--imm
bravenak
(34,648 posts)I even watched the movie. Nothing.
7962
(11,841 posts)bravenak
(34,648 posts)He's super perfect man let him tell it. Stabbed his friend though. Anger problems.
7962
(11,841 posts)He threw a knife at the guy but the blade broke. But he did say he would lose it when he got angry all right
bravenak
(34,648 posts)Showed that it didn't go through. Made you happy for a second, huh?? Jk
You should watch it. I was just like him in school, so it's shocking that i hate him so.
When his teacher said that thing to him when he was getting an academic award it brought back memories of my teacher quitting when i got a 99th percentile grading nationwide on my CTBS test. I cried all day. Called me a cheater. I still remember her name and face, even though i have forgotten some people i liked. Still, even with that sorta kinship, i hate him. I wonder if i act like that dude sometimes. If so. I am an asshole. Just like him.
7962
(11,841 posts)There was no proof of any kind. Just the teacher saying she cheated because she got the 100. And was going to fail her, too. She cried because she had really studied for it and needed a good grade. I convinced her to go to the office and report it and she did. Teacher never saw THAT coming. She kept her 100.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)It was the nineties and people were embarrassed by her. If she had asked me i would have told her that i had taken them a couple months before i moved there and got a 97. That was the second time i had taken the same exact test.
After that i tried to get some answers wrong if i could. Just too easy.
kiranon
(1,727 posts)freshwest
(53,661 posts)Carson speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2013.
Benjamin Solomon "Ben" Carson, Sr., (born September 18, 1951) is a columnist and retired neurosurgeon. He is credited with being the first surgeon to successfully separate conjoined twins joined at the head. In 2008, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush. After delivering a widely publicized speech at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast, he became a popular figure in conservative media for his views on social issues and the federal government.
Early life[edit]
Carson was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Sonya (née Copeland), a Seventh-day Adventist; and Robert Solomon Carson, a Baptist Minister.[1] His parents were both from rural Georgia.[1] At 8, his parents divorced and he and his 10-year-old brother, Curtis, were raised by their mother.[2] He attended Southwestern High School in Southwest Detroit, and graduated from Yale University, where he majored in psychology. He received his M.D. from the University of Michigan Medical School.
Medical career[edit]
Ben Carson
Carson was a professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery, and pediatrics, and he was the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital.[3] At age 33, he became the youngest major division director in Johns Hopkins history, as director of pediatric neurosurgery. He was also a co-director of the Johns Hopkins Craniofacial Center.
According to Johns Hopkins Hospital literature, "Dr. Carson focuses on traumatic brain injuries, brain and spinal cord tumors, achondroplasia, neurological and congenital disorders, craniosynostosis, epilepsy, and trigeminal neuralgia. He is also interested in maximizing the intellectual potential of every child."[3]
Carson believes his hand-eye coordination and three-dimensional reasoning skills made him a gifted surgeon.[4] After medical school, he became a neurosurgery resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Starting off as an adult neurosurgeon, Carson became more interested in pediatrics. He believed that with children, "what you see is what you get, ... when they're in pain they clearly show it with a frown on their face or when they are happy they show it by smiling brightly.[4] "
In 1987, Carson successfully separated conjoined twins, the Binder twins, who had been joined at the back of the head, making them craniopagus twins. The 70-member surgical team, led by Carson, worked for 22 hours. At the end, the twins were successfully separated and can now survive independently. As Carson wrote in his book:
...they would always exsanguinate. They would bleed to death, and I said, 'There's got to be a way around that... I was talking to a friend of mine, who was a cardiothoracic surgeon, who was the chief of the division, and I said, 'You guys operate on the heart in babies, how do you keep them from exsanguinating' and he says, 'Well, we put them in hypothermic arrest.' I said, 'Is there any reason that if we were doing a set of Siamese twins that were joined at the head that we couldn't put them into hypothermic arrest, at the appropriate time, when we're likely to lose a lot of blood?' and he said, 'No way.' ...two months later, along came these doctors from Germany, presenting this case of Siamese twins. And, I was asked for my opinion, and I then began to explain the techniques that should be used, and how we would incorporate hypothermic arrest... And, my colleagues and I, a few of us went over to Germany. We looked at the twins. We actually put in scalp expanders, and five months later we brought them over and did the operation, and lo and behold, it worked.
Carson figured in the revival of the hemispherectomy, a drastic surgical procedure in which part or all of one hemisphere of the brain is removed to control severe pediatric epilepsy. He refined the procedure in the 1980s, encouraged by Dr. John M. Freeman,[6] and performed it many times.[7][8]
In addition to his responsibilities at Johns Hopkins, he has served on the boards of the Kellogg Company, Costco, and the Academy of Achievement. He is an emeritus fellow of the Yale Corporation.
In March 2013, Carson announced he would retire as a surgeon, stating "I'd much rather quit when I'm at the top of my game, and there's so many more things that can be done."[9] His retirement became official on July 1, with Carson saying he would leave the decision of whether to go into politics "in the hands of God, but much can be done outside the political arena." [10]
Awards and honors[edit]
Carson is a member of the American Academy of Achievement, and the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. In 2000, he received the Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged, an award given out annually by Jefferson Awards.[11] In 2008, the White House awarded Carson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.[12] In 2010, he was elected into the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine.[13] Carson has been awarded 38 honorary doctorate degrees and dozens of national merit citations.[14]
Writer[edit]
Carson at the Miami Book Fair International, 1991
Carson has written six bestselling[15] books published by Zondervan, an international Christian media and publishing company: Gifted Hands, Think Big, The Big Picture, Take the Risk, and America the Beautiful, and One Nation. The first book is an autobiography, and two are about his personal philosophies of success that incorporate hard work and a faith in God.
Carson's book titled Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story was released by Zondervan in 1992.[16] A separate television movie with the same title premiered on TNT on February 7, 2009, with Cuba Gooding, Jr. in the lead role and Kimberly Elise portraying his mother.[17]
On July 8, 2013, Carson joined The Washington Times as a weekly opinion columnist.[18]
Political affiliation, activities and views[edit]
Carson has said he is not a member of any political party. "If I were part of one, it would be called the 'Logic party', and it would be dedicated to commonsense approaches we all should be able to see."[19] In his book America the Beautiful, Carson explained why he decided to get involved in politics: "I believe it is a very good idea for physicians, scientists, engineers, and others trained to make decisions based on facts and empirical data to get involved in the political arena and help guide our country."[20] He also said, " we [physicians] should be concerned not only about the health of individual patients, but also about the health of our entire society."[21] Despite largely expressing conservative viewpoints, Carson has also expressed some views at odds with most conservatives, such as supporting banning semi-automatic weapons in large cities. He has also stated, "Theres a reason for the Second Amendment; people do have the right to have weapons."[22]
Speech at prayer breakfast addressing social and fiscal issues[edit]
Carson was the keynote speaker at the February 7, 2013, National Prayer Breakfast.[23] During his speech, Carson commented on several social and fiscal issues including political correctness, education, the national debt, health care and taxation. On political correctness (PC), Carson remarked: "PC is dangerous, because you see, this country, one of the founding principles was freedom of thought and freedom of expression. And it [PC] muffles people. It puts a muzzle on them." On education, he compared current graduation rates with those 200 years ago:
"In 1831, Alexis de Tocqueville came to our country... anybody finishing the second grade was completely literate."
About healthcare:
"Here's my solution. When a person is born, give him a birth certificate, an electronic medical record and a health savings account, to which money can be contributed, pre-tax from the time you are born, to the time you die. When you die, you can pass it on to your family members."
Carson spoke favorably of the flat tax system, which he prefers to call the "Proportional Tax" based on the biblical principle of the tithe.[24]
The speech was magnified because Carson's views were generally interpreted to be politically conservative, and President Barack Obama was sitting ten feet away.
Conservative commentators from Rush Limbaugh to Sean Hannity and Neil Cavuto of Fox News praised the speech as speaking "truth to power." The Wall Street Journal had an op-ed titled "Ben Carson for President," which stated that Carson "may not be politically correct, but he's closer to correct than we've heard in years." Columnist Star Parker wrote in a column that "Ben Carson owes no apology for honest talk."[25]
Fox News contributor Cal Thomas, however, opined that Carson's remarks were inappropriate for the event and that he should apologize to President Obama.[26] Liberal Fox News pundit Bob Beckel also found Carson's remarks inappropriate for the event, calling them "extreme right-wing talking points." [27]
At White House in 2008 for award
In an interview with Neil Cavuto, Carson defended himself by saying, "Somebody has to be courageous enough to stand up to the bullies."[28]
Carson appeared on the Fox News program Hannity on Friday, February 8, and was asked about a possible run for the White House. Carson responded: "If the Lord grabbed me by the collar and made me do it, I would."[29]
After the National Prayer Breakfast speech, Carson told ABC News: "I don't think it was particularly political... You know, I'm a physician. I like to diagnose things. And, you know, I've diagnosed some pretty, pretty significant issues that I think a lot of people resonate with."[30] Regarding the policies of President Obama, he said:
"There are a number of policies that I don't believe lead to the growth of our nation and don't lead to the elevation of our nation. I don't want to sit here and say all of his policies are bad. What I would like to see more often in this nation is an open and intelligent conversation, not people just casting aspersions at each other."
Writing in National Review, Jonah Goldberg compared Carson to legendary African-American leader Booker T. Washington.[31]
Meanwhile, in The Atlantic, David Graham compared Carson to Herman Cain without the "personal skeletons."[32]
Following his sudden popularity among conservatives, Carson was a featured speaker at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on March 16, 2013 and finished tied for seventh in the Washington Times/CPAC 2013 Straw Poll with 4% of the 3,000 ballots cast.[33][34]
In the 2014 CPAC straw poll, he performed even better by coming in third place with 9%, behind Senators Ted Cruz of Texas (with 11%) and Rand Paul of Kentucky (with 31%).[35]
In April 2014, FoxNews reported that a SuperPAC called RunBenRun had raised $4 million in campaign contributions for a potential presidential campaign.[36]
Views on marriage and evolution[edit]
Carson described his opposition to same-sex marriage on Hannity, saying: "Marriage is between a man and a woman. No group, be they gays, be they NAMBLA, be they people who believe in bestiality, it doesn't matter what they are. They don't get to change the definition."[37] Carson's comments drew criticism for apparently lumping together gays with pedophiles and practitioners of bestiality, and a group of Hopkins students circulated a petition asking that Carson be replaced as the university's commencement speaker.[37][38]
Carson told MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell that his comments were "completely taken out of context and completely misunderstood," and also asserted on CNN's "The Situation Room" that he loves all people, whether gay or straight.[37] Carson withdrew as Hopkins's commencement speaker and apologized for the remarks, saying that "the examples were not the best choice of words, and I certainly apologize if I offended anyone," adding that the Bible "says we have an obligation to love our fellow man as ourselves, and I love everybody the sameall homosexuals."[38][39] Carson also said, "I certainly believe gay people should have all the rights anyone else has. I was trying to say that as far as marriage was concerned, it has traditionally been between a man and a woman and no one should be able to change that."[40]
Carson's views on evolution and creationism have also generated controversy.[41] In a 2006 debate with Richard Dawkins, Francis Collins, and Daniel Dennett, Carson stated:
"I don't believe in evolution... I simply dont have enough faith to believe that something as complex as our ability to rationalize, think, and plan, and have a moral sense of whats right and wrong, just appeared."[42] In 2012, nearly 500 professors, students and alumni of Emory University wrote a letter expressing concern about Carson's views in advance of his commencement speech, although no request was made to rescind Carson's invitation.
In particular, they cited his quote in an Adventist Review interview where he said, "By believing we are the product of random acts, we eliminate morality and the basis of ethical behavior." Carson responded by clarifying his views, saying, "People who believe in survival of the fittest might have more difficulty deriving where their ethics come from. A lot of evolutionists are very ethical people."[41]
Criticism of Affordable Care Act[edit]
On October 11, 2013, Carson spoke at the conservative Values Voters Summit in Washington, D.C., where he called the Affordable Care Act (ACA) "the worst thing that has happened in this nation since slavery."
In his speech, Carson claimed that the entire push for the legislation originated with Vladimir Lenin and quoted Lenin as saying that "socialized medicine is the keystone to the establishment of a socialist state".[43]
(Lenin did not actually say this, although the purported quote appears on a number of conservative websites).[44][45])
After being criticised for his comments, Carson wrote a Washington Times editorial on October 15 denying that he was "equating Obamacare with slavery" and criticizing the "PC police" for attempting "to discredit and silence" him. Carson also acknowledged that there was controversy over whether Lenin used the "exact words" quoted and said that "the larger point is that [Lenin] and his followers certainly subscribed to the philosophy symbolized by these words."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Carson#Criticism_of_Affordable_Care_Act
He sounds like the perfect candidate for the GOP. Fox News will promote him and the GOP will never have to say 'I'm not racist' again. I bet this will work out great for the GOP, don't you?
bravenak
(34,648 posts)Obviously we're obligated to vote for him.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)bravenak
(34,648 posts)Everyone should do it. Especially for rasmussen or gallup.
If they want black people to vote for their candidate they have to run a democrat. Period.
7962
(11,841 posts)Dont know if he'd come out as good there. Not to mention, the wall streeters arent going to back him, IMO
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)But for some people that's a plus.
Kelvin Mace
(17,469 posts)where all the candidates "called by god" are locked in a dark room with an assortment of blunt instruments to discuss the matter?
Or, we could put them in a well lit venue and sell it "pay-per-view" to pay down the national debt.
tomm2thumbs
(13,297 posts)and see how much 'god' they actually know, and how much sanity they actually have
longship
(40,416 posts)WilliamPitt
(58,179 posts)o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please o please
Will be lying to pollsters if he runs.
tarheelsunc
(2,117 posts)Obama's 8 years in state Senate and 4 years in U.S. Senate weren't enough, so I guess Carson's combined zero years of political experience across the spectrum would be enough satisfy them.
giftedgirl77
(4,713 posts)TlalocW
(15,358 posts)While you would undoubtedly be the smartest guy on stage and might even be pretty reasonable on certain issues (although the rest would keep a lot of sane people from voting for you), you're not going to win the nomination in 2016 for the same reason Bobby Jindal isn't, and that's because you're not white.
There's no way after 8 years of having a non-white guy in the Oval Office, that republicans are going to chance the country going that way again. They are heavily jonesing to get a white guy in there.
TlalocW
Jack Rabbit
(45,984 posts)They like any right wing kook, and one who gives them cover from charges of racism is one who catches special interest. I recall Herman Cain doing well among Republicans in 2012 until the press uncovered a skeleton in his closet.
babylonsister
(170,963 posts)I have got to believe he will be summarily discounted. We elected Obama twice; I don't think we are dumb enough to give this guy the time of day.
Sigh, yea, people were dumb enough to vote for Bush twice-what am I saying?
DonViejo
(60,536 posts)Bush/Carson 2016 ticket.
Jack Rabbit
(45,984 posts)Couple of things wrong with your post: while being a leading brain surgeon does not mean Dr. Carson knows what it takes to be president, it should be enough to shield him from being called a quack.
Second, the Frat Boy never won a presidential election.
babylonsister
(170,963 posts)just basically; first word that popped into my mind. I wasn't disparaging his success in his professional life, yet somehow I don't think they will benefit his political life.
I'll give you #2; how depressing is that? This country could have been in such a different place.
IronLionZion
(45,258 posts)for the same reason they are constantly insisting that some of their best friends are .... X. to prove they are not racist.
TheCowsCameHome
(40,161 posts)Tommy_Carcetti
(43,085 posts)...will that split the African-American Republican vote that is entirely composed of Ben Carson, Allen West and Herman Cain?
babylonsister
(170,963 posts)Swede Atlanta
(3,596 posts)1. He is an African-American
I seriously doubt the racists in the Republican party are going to support a "black" man even if from his own party
2.He is an extremist nutcase
He might garner support from the frothing-at-the-mouth pukes but he won't get enough support in the party to be nominated, let alone elected in the general.
As I have posted before, those "candidates" that have no change do this for attention and their pocket books. They worship money. If they think by running they can get some media attention that may bode well for book deals and speaking engagements. It is all about the money.
Reince Prius (pun intended) wants to keep these clowns out of the process but I think it is going to be very, very tough...
justhanginon
(3,287 posts)you run for president of heaven and please leave us the F... alone.
Given your tremendous amount of experience at foreign policy, economics and government in general you really bring nothing to the table and will just be another egotistical clown on the circus stage ala Herman 999 Cain.
Please just go away!
UTUSN
(70,496 posts)Rozlee
(2,529 posts)The only Republican in the field that might have crossover appeal is Jon Huntsman and the devil will have icicles in his piss before teabaggers allow him to get through the primaries. It's just one whack job after another.
Journeyman
(15,001 posts)and those who hear it loudest have but the most empty space between their ears.
muntrv
(14,505 posts)SamKnause
(13,043 posts)candidates has "God" endorsed ??????
How many of "God's" candidates have lost ???
Gothmog
(143,999 posts)The GOP may have two minority nut cases running. Neither Ben Carson nor Allen West are qualified to be POTUS in that they are both nut cases
kelliekat44
(7,759 posts)KinMd
(966 posts)3catwoman3
(23,815 posts)...can deny evolution.
JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)Tom Ripley
(4,945 posts)toby jo
(1,269 posts)Here's a guy so used to being told how intelligent and gifted he is he just can't wait to get out there and show all the little people how to truly think. Throw in some god when the going gets tough and you'll be loved.
Who paid all his bills while his single mother raised him and he went to expensive schools? Who was footing the bill, jackdick?! Could a little bit of socialism have benefitted you? Got yours, eh?!!!
Johnny logical waiting for god to call him. oh jesus fuck me christ in a bottle Where do these people come from?
randys1
(16,286 posts)He appears to have had his hateful, ignorant views all along.
How can anyone have this level of education and abilities and still be so dreadfully stupid and full of hate?
SansACause
(520 posts)To be the nominee, he'll have to win in the south. Not gonna happen. A number of southerners told me they would have voted Dem in governor and presidential elections if only the candidates weren't black.