Amid Trump bombast, quiet Ben Carson rises in GOP 2016 field

[webfact]

Amid Trump bombast, quiet Ben Carson rises in GOP 2016 field
By STEVE PEOPLES

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Amid all the bombast in the Republican race for president, Ben Carson comes across more like a whisper.

He is, in some ways, the anti-Trump — a gentle candidate who lets his record as a renowned brain surgeon speak for itself. The bragging about his resume and place in the polls, on the rare occasions it comes, is delivered with none of the superlatives that Donald Trump can't seem to go without.

Yet the 63-year-old Republican, the only African-American seeking the White House in 2016 — has tapped into the same wave of anti-establishment outrage fueling the billionaire realty TV star's rise.

"The likelihood of someone like me getting through this process and making it to president is virtually impossible," Carson told The Associated Press in a recent interview. "I just have to be myself. And if being myself resonates with the American people, then they will choose me.

"And if it doesn't," he said, "they will choose somebody else."

Like Trump, Carson was dismissed early as a gaffe-prone novice lacking a national profile and any significant political network. But he appears to be connecting with Republican voters at a rate that even his closest aides didn't predict.

Heading into Wednesday night's second debate of the GOP contest, Carson finds himself alongside Trump atop the field.

A New York Times/CBS News poll released Tuesday shows Carson favored by 23 percent of likely Republican primary voters compared to Trump's 27 percent. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, meanwhile, have plummeted to 6 percent and 2 percent respectively.

It should be noted the poll found that 63 percent said they could change their minds before the primaries begin with the Iowa caucuses in February.

Yet it was just one of several in recent days that feature the political rookies Trump and Carson leading a field of veterans of elected office, offering the clearest example yet that Republican voters have deep frustrations with the political establishment.

It shows in Carson's fundraising, too. His campaign says it has raised $5 million so far this month, adding to the $9 million it pulled in during July and August — a strong performance at what is typically one of the hardest times for candidates to raise money.

Wednesday night offers Carson a new chance to build on that momentum. A stage full of Republican candidates will face off at the Reagan Presidential Library for the party's second formal debate. Carson emerged from the first as a surprise success, his popularity fueled by his nice-guy image on a night when his competitors came out swinging.

Yet he remains rough around the edges and has little experience with issues beyond health care and business, particularly foreign policy in an election where international affairs are a major part of the discussion.

"He's memorized every nerve in the body, he can memorize the top 12 terrorists in the world," said Carson campaign manager Barry Bennett, dismissing any concerns.

His team hopes to use any additional airtime he'll get Wednesday night to highlight Carson's biography.

He rose from the streets of inner-city Detroit to be head of pediatric neurosurgery at Baltimore's Johns Hopkins Hospital. The story inspired a television movie and gives Carson unique standing in a Republican Party often criticized as the party of older, wealthy, white men.

Carson briefly focused on race late last week by touring Ferguson, Missouri, the St. Louis suburb hit by rioting after a white police officer shot a black teen. After the tour, however, Carson condemned the "Black Lives Matter" movement and said the nation should "de-emphasize race" and instead "emphasize respect."

A religious conservative, Carson said he'd prefer the movement change its name to "All black lives matter" — to include the unborn children of black women who have abortions. Better yet, he said, the group would change its name to simply, "All lives matter."

He's expected to focus on party unity on the debate stage after declining to respond to his competitors' jabs in recent days.

"Trump will be Trump, Ben will be Ben, and the contrast couldn't be clearer," Bennett said.

In contrast to other campaigns, no one has been playing Trump during Carson's debate preparation sessions, which are somewhat unusual. Bennett described an all-day "knowledge session" Monday in which experts delivered presentations on various domestic and foreign policy topics.

"They don't pepper him with questions, he peppers them," the campaign manager said.

And while Carson doesn't focus on race, his campaign suggests his status as the only African-American in the contest is a political asset.

"In a crowd of 17 candidates, it is important that you can differentiate yourself in as many ways as possible," Bennett said. "He's soft-spoken, he's African-American and he's a doctor."

The campaign has begun running TV ads in Iowa and New Hampshire promoting Carson's biography. And it's looking to expand a paid staff of 80 now divided between the campaign's suburban Washington headquarters and early voting states across the country.

The political establishment remains skeptical of his chances, but Carson doesn't seem to mind.

"My whole life people have told me you can't do this, no one's ever done this before, this is impossible," he said. "I don't even get charged up until I hear those words."


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-09-16

[Publicus]

The Republican right seem to be cleavaging between Carson and Trump as the frontrunner and as the top two guyz.

The Republican rightwing yahoos are supporting Trump and his swaggering bluster. The more religious farmer and subdued suburban types are positively gravitating toward Dr. Carson who also has been a quiet low key Republican for a long time.

Interestinger and interestinger.

Will Ben Carson be the one to take some of the hot gas out of The Donald....

[daoyai]

Dr. Carson is one of those smart crazy people Bill Mahr talks about, highly educated and successful in his field but a bible fundy that believes the earth is 6,000 yo and that Noah took all the animals on his boat etc. ....gotta love America.

[Bakseeda]

Ben Carson is one of those too clever nut-cases, I'm sure we all remember that nerd at college... and a bible thumping brain sturgeon into the bargain... something fishy about that..! My money is on Donald (where's yoor troosers)Trump , for his straight talking , shoot from the hip manner. But not everyone wants a blond haired ,blue eyed Presbyterian boy in the Whitehouse. Oh, and his mom is Scottish....

[VillageIdiot]

Sad to say, but Carson's race is against him...

Thanks to Obama, who has insured that no African-American will ever be elected president again in anybody's lifetime.

[Pinot]

Sad to say, but Carson's race is against him...

Thanks to Obama, who has insured that no African-American will ever be elected president again in anybody's lifetime.

Typical racist remark. I know this is going to be hard to hear, but many of us out in the real world see Obama as one of our best Presidents...ever. When you consider how much effort the wingnutospere has put into blocking any effort to accomplish anything, his record is truly remarkable.

I do agree with you that Ben Carson's race will work against him...in the Republican party. His far right wing policies and naivete with all things in the real world, make him along with the other sixteen candidates, unelectable.

I was reading an article about the dangerous extremism on the American right yesterday.

http://www.salon.com/2015/09/15/the_republican_bases_patriotic_treason_the_shocking_new_poll_that_exposes_the_dangerous_extremism_of_the_american_right/

"Republicans (43%) are more than twice as likely as Democrats (20%) to say that they could conceive of a situation in which they would support a military coup in the United States. Independents tend to say that they could not (38%) rather than could (29%) imagine supporting a coup."

How far out there is America's right wing Republicans? Way, way, way out there and these 16 terrible candidates all reflect that.

Donald Trump and Ben Carlson...oh my Buddha.

Edited September 16, 2015 by Pinot

[squarethecircle]

I would say quite the opposite about the race. Most Republicans are fed up with criticizing the slumlord from Chicago only to be called "racist," so Dr. Ben's race will play in his favour. Well-spoken, good character, smart, honest, think he'd make a good president.

Also ironic to see the same leftists who accuse anyone who criticizes BO as a "bigot", turn around and insult Ben Carson as a "house negro." As Carson said: "we have a problem with racism in this country...and it is usually racist liberals who think a black man can't be conservative."

[Publicus]

I would say quite the opposite about the race. Most Republicans are fed up with criticizing the slumlord from Chicago only to be called "racist," so Dr. Ben's race will play in his favour. Well-spoken, good character, smart, honest, think he'd make a good president.

Also ironic to see the same leftists who accuse anyone who criticizes BO as a "bigot", turn around and insult Ben Carson as a "house negro." As Carson said: "we have a problem with racism in this country...and it is usually racist liberals who think a black man can't be conservative."

Dr. Ben Carson is entitled to be a black conservative cause almost every house negro is conservative. Meanwhile black Americans have voted D since FDR and voted 92% for Prez Obama in 2012.

A house negro calling liberals racist is exactly what the man ordered up.

[spidermike007]

Ben Carson appears to be a giant, when standing next to the empty suit named disgusting don. Talk about a man without substance. Talk about a one trick pony. He has about five lines and about three positions. His extent of foreign affairs, is the wetlands he attempted to destroy in Ireland for a golf course, and the croissants they serve in Paris, that he sampled while his girlfriend was buying a $10,000 purse, on his dime.

[Neurath]

Sad to say, but Carson's race is against him...

Thanks to Obama, who has insured that no African-American will ever be elected president again in anybody's lifetime.

Yep, Obamba is a bad president because he's black. Carson is black, therefore he would be a bad president too. Black and President don't mix. I'm not of course claiming that you think something so silly - it's other people.

[3SoiDogNight]

Anybody but Jeb Bush.

I'm still voting for Donald Trump (baring any major screw ups between now & the California Republican primary).

Ben Carson is my 2nd, choice and back up candidate if Trump bows out or screws up.

I would say quite the opposite about the race. Most Republicans are fed up with criticizing the slumlord from Chicago only to be called "racist," so Dr. Ben's race will play in his favour. Well-spoken, good character, smart, honest, think he'd make a good president.

Also ironic to see the same leftists who accuse anyone who criticizes BO as a "bigot", turn around and insult Ben Carson as a "house negro." As Carson said: "we have a problem with racism in this country...and it is usually racist liberals who think a black man can't be conservative."

So true!

I started to see how racist liberals can be once I left the Democrat party and changed my views. If you're non-white and/or female and abandon liberal group-think, then they will attack you and call you every racist, sexist name in the book. They think their support for Obama and the Democrat Party gives them a free pass to be as racist, sexist and hateful as they want towards you.

Liberals do not tolerate minorities that think for themselves and form their own opinions.

Then of course there is the soft-core bigotry of low-expectations.

Edited September 16, 2015 by 3SoiDogNight

[Publicus]

Anybody but Jeb Bush.

I'm still voting for Donald Trump (baring any major screw ups between now & the California Republican primary).

Ben Carson is my 2nd, choice and back up candidate if Trump bows out or screws up.

I would say quite the opposite about the race. Most Republicans are fed up with criticizing the slumlord from Chicago only to be called "racist," so Dr. Ben's race will play in his favour. Well-spoken, good character, smart, honest, think he'd make a good president.

Also ironic to see the same leftists who accuse anyone who criticizes BO as a "bigot", turn around and insult Ben Carson as a "house negro." As Carson said: "we have a problem with racism in this country...and it is usually racist liberals who think a black man can't be conservative."

So true!

I started to see how racist liberals can be once I left the Democrat party and changed my views. If you're non-white and/or female and abandon liberal group-think, then they will attack you and call you every racist, sexist name in the book. They think their support for Obama and the Democrat Party gives them a free pass to be as racist, sexist and hateful as they want towards you.

Liberals do not tolerate minorities that think for themselves and form their own opinions.

Then of course there is the soft-core bigotry of low-expectations.

When I switched to Democratic from being a Republican I found the exact same to be true of Republicans. Which is why I switched to Democratic.

They're exactly opposite. Democrats ask what are the facts then proceed from there. Republicans come in and say here are the facts so shut up and listen.

Ben Carson's facts are scary, just different facts from those ignored by Trump.

Edited September 16, 2015 by Publicus

[3SoiDogNight]

Anybody but Jeb Bush.

I'm still voting for Donald Trump (baring any major screw ups between now & the California Republican primary).

Ben Carson is my 2nd, choice and back up candidate if Trump bows out or screws up.

I would say quite the opposite about the race. Most Republicans are fed up with criticizing the slumlord from Chicago only to be called "racist," so Dr. Ben's race will play in his favour. Well-spoken, good character, smart, honest, think he'd make a good president.

Also ironic to see the same leftists who accuse anyone who criticizes BO as a "bigot", turn around and insult Ben Carson as a "house negro." As Carson said: "we have a problem with racism in this country...and it is usually racist liberals who think a black man can't be conservative."

So true!

I started to see how racist liberals can be once I left the Democrat party and changed my views. If you're non-white and/or female and abandon liberal group-think, then they will attack you and call you every racist, sexist name in the book. They think their support for Obama and the Democrat Party gives them a free pass to be as racist, sexist and hateful as they want towards you.

Liberals do not tolerate minorities that think for themselves and form their own opinions.

Then of course there is the soft-core bigotry of low-expectations.

When I switched to Democratic from being a Republican I found the exact same to be true of Republicans. Which is why I switched to Democratic.

They're exactly opposite. Democrats ask what are the facts then proceed from there. Republicans come in and say here are the facts so shut up and listen.

Ben Carson's facts are scary, just different facts from those ignored by Trump.

After seeing the facts, I left the Democratic Party.

[squarethecircle]

Anybody but Jeb Bush.

I'm still voting for Donald Trump (baring any major screw ups between now & the California Republican primary).

Ben Carson is my 2nd, choice and back up candidate if Trump bows out or screws up.

I would say quite the opposite about the race. Most Republicans are fed up with criticizing the slumlord from Chicago only to be called "racist," so Dr. Ben's race will play in his favour. Well-spoken, good character, smart, honest, think he'd make a good president.

Also ironic to see the same leftists who accuse anyone who criticizes BO as a "bigot", turn around and insult Ben Carson as a "house negro." As Carson said: "we have a problem with racism in this country...and it is usually racist liberals who think a black man can't be conservative."

So true!

I started to see how racist liberals can be once I left the Democrat party and changed my views. If you're non-white and/or female and abandon liberal group-think, then they will attack you and call you every racist, sexist name in the book. They think their support for Obama and the Democrat Party gives them a free pass to be as racist, sexist and hateful as they want towards you.

Liberals do not tolerate minorities that think for themselves and form their own opinions.

Then of course there is the soft-core bigotry of low-expectations.

That's something I cannot understand - why in the leftist mind (calling them "liberals" is inaccurate) anyone who resists that worldview is automatically considered a bigot. Exactly the same way religions treat heretics.

Actually there are a lot of parallels between dogmatic leftists and conservative Christians.

Here's one: ever noticed how conservative Christians go on "mission trips" - to banana republics with favorable exchange rates, great resorts, and always in the best season of the year - and always documenting it in the newspaper to show how righteous they are?

Just like how dogmatic leftists go on "mission trips" to Africa - spending thousands of dollars on plane tickets, guides, helicopter flights, etc., so they can get their picture taken giving boxes of pencils to hungry children?

Edited September 16, 2015 by squarethecircle

[3SoiDogNight]

Anybody but Jeb Bush.

I'm still voting for Donald Trump (baring any major screw ups between now & the California Republican primary).

Ben Carson is my 2nd, choice and back up candidate if Trump bows out or screws up.

I would say quite the opposite about the race. Most Republicans are fed up with criticizing the slumlord from Chicago only to be called "racist," so Dr. Ben's race will play in his favour. Well-spoken, good character, smart, honest, think he'd make a good president.

Also ironic to see the same leftists who accuse anyone who criticizes BO as a "bigot", turn around and insult Ben Carson as a "house negro." As Carson said: "we have a problem with racism in this country...and it is usually racist liberals who think a black man can't be conservative."

So true!

I started to see how racist liberals can be once I left the Democrat party and changed my views. If you're non-white and/or female and abandon liberal group-think, then they will attack you and call you every racist, sexist name in the book. They think their support for Obama and the Democrat Party gives them a free pass to be as racist, sexist and hateful as they want towards you.

Liberals do not tolerate minorities that think for themselves and form their own opinions.

Then of course there is the soft-core bigotry of low-expectations.

That's something I cannot understand - why in the leftist mind (calling them "liberals" is inaccurate) anyone who resists that worldview is automatically considered a bigot. Exactly the same way religions treat heretics.

Actually there are a lot of parallels between dogmatic leftists and conservative Christians.

Here's one: ever noticed how conservative Christians go on "mission trips" - to banana republics with favorable exchange rates, great resorts, and always in the best season of the year - and always documenting it in the newspaper to show how righteous they are?

Just like how dogmatic leftists go on "mission trips" to Africa - spending thousands of dollars on plane tickets, guides, helicopter flights, etc., so they can get their picture taken giving boxes of pencils to hungry children?

Well said!

Same to be said about the backpackers and NGOs here in Thailand. Many go back home and boast about all of their humanitarian deeds and how much they 'saved the Thai people'. All they did was hang out with other like-minded backpackers, b-t-h about America and live like bums here in SE Asia before their daddies money runs out. Then they're back home in Massachusetts lecturing at a university about their experience.

The definition of 'liberal' has changed. I thought I was a liberal for many years until the definition changed. I find these left-wing nuts to be as bad, if not worse than the Christian fundies.

Even though I've shifted to the right, I haven't embraced social conservatism at all. I do not support religious missionaries of any sort.

[mikebike]

Carson = Trump lite.

[Publicus]

Avoiding the topic never succeeds, so let's look at the record of Dr. Ben Carson the house doctor. Here's one from when he announced for the R party nomination to be POTUS.....

9 of Ben Carson’s Most Controversial Quotes

Ben Car­son checked in­to the pres­id­en­tial race Monday, bring­ing with him a well-or­gan­ized fun­drais­ing ma­chine, a fan­at­ic­al fol­low­ing, and a con­ser­vat­ive celebrity status that’s worth mil­lions in word-of-mouth ad­vert­ising. Part of that celebrity status comes from a ca­reer as a pe­di­at­ric neurosur­geon, part from his hard-line con­ser­vat­ive world­view, and part from his 2013 na­tion­al polit­ic­al in­tro­duc­tion when he lam­basted Pres­id­ent Obama at the Na­tion­al Pray­er Break­fast while the lead­er of the free world sat just a few chairs away.

And then, of course, there’s his long re­cord of bom­bast­ic polit­ic­al quotes, full of ref­er­ences to Nazis, slavery, and up­com­ing to­tal­it­ari­an takeovers. For Car­son, those are state­ments he can make be­cause, in polit­ic­al terms, he has little to lose. Bar­ring a mir­acle shakeup of the polit­ic­al sys­tem, he won’t be­come pres­id­ent, and he won’t be the nom­in­ee.

Here are the quotes at the cen­ter of his biggest dust-ups:

http://www.nationaljournal.com/twentysixteen/2015/05/04/9-Ben-Carsons-Most-Controversial-Quotes

5 Ben Carson Quotes Proving Why He’s Too Crazy To Be President

Read more at: http://www.forwardprogressives.com/5-ben-carson-quotes-proving-hes-too-crazy-to-be-president/

The tragedy of Ben Carson: How a brilliant doctor turned into a right-wing provocateur The GOP's newest presidential candidate is intent on making a fool of himself before as many people as possible

http://www.salon.com/2015/05/04/the_tragedy_of_ben_carson_how_a_brilliant_doctor_turned_into_a_right_wing_provocatuer/

[Ulysses G.]

Sad to say, but Carson's race is against him...

Thanks to Obama, who has insured that no African-American will ever be elected president again in anybody's lifetime.

Very few Americans are bothered by Obama's race. It is his dishonesty and circumventing the constitution that makes him so hated. Ben Carson is the exact opposite of Obama and conservatives embrace him. He could easily end up the next president.

[3SoiDogNight]

Sad to say, but Carson's race is against him...

Thanks to Obama, who has insured that no African-American will ever be elected president again in anybody's lifetime.

Very few Americans are bothered by Obama's race. It is his dishonesty and circumventing the constitution that makes him so hated. Ben Carson is the exact opposite of Obama and conservatives embrace him. He could easily end up the next president.

Liberals Democrats 'progressives' see everything through a racial lens. They still can't accept the fact that there are many Blacks, Latinos, Asians and other minorities that are not on board with their leftist agenda. They think they own all minority groups. Should one dare have a different opinion, they will treat them like a runaway slave.

[stevenl]

Sad to say, but Carson's race is against him...

Thanks to Obama, who has insured that no African-American will ever be elected president again in anybody's lifetime.

Very few Americans are bothered by Obama's race. It is his dishonesty and circumventing the constitution that makes him so hated. Ben Carson is the exact opposite of Obama and conservatives embrace him. He could easily end up the next president.

Bs. Even before his election everything was tried by the Republicans to convince the Americans he is a dangerous Muslim born in Kenya.

It has always been about race and religion and still is.

[Publicus]

Sad to say, but Carson's race is against him...

Thanks to Obama, who has insured that no African-American will ever be elected president again in anybody's lifetime.

Very few Americans are bothered by Obama's race. It is his dishonesty and circumventing the constitution that makes him so hated. Ben Carson is the exact opposite of Obama and conservatives embrace him. He could easily end up the next president.

Liberals Democrats 'progressives' see everything through a racial lens. They still can't accept the fact that there are many Blacks, Latinos, Asians and other minorities that are not on board with their leftist agenda. They think they own all minority groups. Should one dare have a different opinion, they will treat them like a runaway slave.

The post is completely wrong pulp fiction but compared to Carson's statements the post is mild in its attitude, language, purposes and intents. The post is not a crackpot post but Carson is a political crackpot if not worse. Carson is a cultural cripple who hides behind a pleasant facade that projects a sweetness and modesty that only crackpot rightwingers could love.

Here are a few of Carson' crackpot gems...

“There comes a time when people with values simply have to stand up. Think about Nazi Germany. Most of those people did not believe in what Hitler was doing. But did they speak up? Did they stand up for what they believe in? They did not, and you saw what happened.” - Carson comparing Democrats and those who voted for President Obama to Nazis.

Read more at: http://www.forwardprogressives.com/5-ben-carson-quotes-proving-hes-too-crazy-to-be-president/

“Well, my thoughts are that marriage is between a man and a woman. It’s a well-established, fundamental pillar of society and 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.” – 2013 on Fox News’ Hannity

Read more at: http://www.forwardprogressives.com/5-ben-carson-quotes-proving-hes-too-crazy-to-be-president/

On polit­ic­al cor­rect­ness: “I mean, [our so­ci­ety is] very much like Nazi Ger­many. And I know you’re not sup­posed to say ‘Nazi Ger­many,’ but I don’t care about polit­ic­al cor­rect­ness. You know, you had a gov­ern­ment us­ing its tools to in­tim­id­ate the pop­u­la­tion. We now live in a so­ci­ety where people are afraid to say what they ac­tu­ally be­lieve.”

http://www.nationaljournal.com/twentysixteen/2015/05/04/9-Ben-Carsons-Most-Controversial-Quotes

Trump wants to build a wall which is horrific but I suspect Carson wants to build camps in the name of saving America from those who built camps.

Then there's this one, that Barack Obama is not an American:

When a col­league said the pres­id­ent “looks clean. Shirt’s white. The tie. He looks el­eg­ant,” Car­son re­spon­ded: “Like most psy­cho­paths. That’s why they’re suc­cess­ful. That’s the way they look. They all look great.” He later said: “But he knows he’s telling a lie! He’s try­ing to sell what he thinks is not true! He’s sit­ting there say­ing, ‘These Amer­ic­ans are so stu­pid I can tell them any­thing.’”

http://www.nationaljournal.com/twentysixteen/2015/05/04/9-Ben-Carsons-Most-Controversial-Quotes