Sunday, November 8, 2015

Weekly Standard takes a second look at Carson

"His recent Facebook post answering this objection [to his lack of experience] deserves to be quoted at length:

...No one in Philadelphia, during that summer our nation was born, dreamed that service was a career with a pension. America was the land of the Citizen Statesmen. They were merchants, lawyers, farmers—and yes, even doctors. They were willing to stand for freedom. Today, the political class stands in the way, not for the people. They demand pensions and perks. This is not what our Founders envisioned for America. I spent my life treating very ill children. Over 15,000 times I gave my all to prolong their lives. I was blessed to do it. But when it came time for me to retire, I simply could not sit back any longer. These children became my family. What our government is doing to them is outrageous. I am prepared to risk all that I have to try and make a difference in their future. .  .  .

My experience is very different than what we have come to expect. I grew up poor. I know what it is like to be homeless and hungry. I know the pain of poverty. I also know that education and a mother’s love can be the path out of dire poverty. I know what it is like to see water fountains you are not allowed to drink out of because of your skin color. I also know that once you peel back the skin, the brain is the same no matter what your skin color or continent you live on. I know that victimhood is a trap. I know that it is our Christian responsibility to offer those less fortunate a hand up. I know my faith is strong and my ego is small. .  .  . 

I do not have political experience, I have a life journey. A journey that not only made it possible for me to relate to so many different people, but also one where time and time again I was told I would fail, only to succeed. My candidacy is different, that I grant you. I have neither Donald Trump’s money or Jeb Bush’s political network. However, I wouldn’t trade a single child I treated for all of Trump’s money. While I admire the Bush family’s dedication to service, I too served—nights, weekends, holidays, birthdays and anniversaries with severely injured patients were my public service.

...So while Carson probably won’t and likely shouldn’t be the nominee, the Republican party is better for his candidacy. And if the unthinkable happens and Donald Trump wins the Republican nomination, we may take off a few days next year to gather ballot access signatures for the 2016 independent ticket of Carson-Webb, or Webb-Carson."

http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/ben-carson-reconsidered_1059376.html?page=1

28 comments:

edutcher said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
edutcher said...

Webb is going nowhere, thank Heaven, largely because nobody can stand him.

But The Donald, while I don't see him as the nominee, has given the Republican Party, and most importantly, the base, something just as important as Carson, a fighting spirit. Trump's unwillingness to submit to the dictates of the media is the shot in the arm many have waited for, just as Dr Carson's pushback against Politico's smear campaign, have reminded us that we don't - and shouldn't - have to take their lies lying down.

That Kristol and Frantic Freddy Barnes are considering the "unthinkable", while Webb might be up for it, speaks volumes about what they want the outcome of next year to be. I think Carson has better sense. And better principles.

PS my ego is small

FWIW Apparently not. One of the problems his candidacy has had is that the good doctor doesn't want to listen to others' opinions.

YMMV

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Principles. Carson has those into next week.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I think Carson is presidential material. He doesn't have political experience, but that is an asset. We need to get back to citizen government. He is a smart, dedicated, accomplished person - and his dedication is principled. He is the opposite of Obama in that regard.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I guess Ben has tacky awards in his home and someone painted him with Jesus. oops - never mind. Better stick with The Rodham-Bill crony-corruption. They have experience... and a machine.

bagoh20 said...

It doesn't speak well of us or our system that such a man is considered unfit for the job. I suspect the problem is that he's not devious enough, that his honesty, non-confrontational manner and straightforwardness suggests a naivete that would put him at a disadvantage against people like Putin, the Iranians, or the Chinese.

I did, but I no longer see it that way. We have had in Obama, Hillary, and Kerry some of the most devious, dishonest and untransparent people in politics, and they have gotten their asses handed to them by our enemies. So much for the power of that quality. A big trade off for assuming that deviousness is a strength, is that it was the American people who got that directed at them instead. We were deceived by our hired liars. We hired jackals to fight jackals, when what we needed was a lion. A person whose strength is in their steadfastness, and their character, in addition to their intelligence.

I used to think that Reagan was so successful because his adversaries thought he was crazy and unpredictable, but I realize now it was just the opposite. They knew he would do exactly what he threatened. They may have thought he was crazy, but they knew he wasn't bluffing.

ricpic said...

"...if the unthinkable happens and Trump wins the nomination..."

The supercilious (but scared shitless) snots at The Weekly Standard will do what, gather and group hug? It terrifies the effete anointed ones that the American People could turn to someone who doesn't share their self-loathing. Someone who is an actual *shudder* nationalist. Well, Trump's gonna win and they're just gonna have to get used to the disorientation.

edutcher said...

AprilApple said...

I think Carson is presidential material. He doesn't have political experience, but that is an asset. We need to get back to citizen government. He is a smart, dedicated, accomplished person - and his dedication is principled. He is the opposite of Obama in that regard.

Nicely put. I would tend to agree on that as far as character and intellect goes.

Beyond that...

bagoh20 said...

It doesn't speak well of us or our system that such a man is considered unfit for the job. I suspect the problem is that he's not devious enough, that his honesty, non-confrontational manner and straightforwardness suggests a naivete that would put him at a disadvantage against people like Putin, the Iranians, or the Chinese

I have a feeling the Reds, Russian or Chinese, would respect directness and honesty. They certainly don't respect President Pissy and his colossal ego and belief that he can charm everybody into doing it his way.

What Carson's flaw is comes from the fact he's a doctor. Most nurses don't have a lot of respect for most doctors (next time you need a specialist, ask the nurses at the hospital who you should get and who actually listens to what the patients say), largely because most doctors see themselves as God's gift to Suffering Humanity. They're know the Great Secrets of Life and are too good to listen to anyone else.

A President has to be able to take advice, make deals, consider conflicting viewpoints, and know when it's time to press hard and when to leave some leeway (including a little schmoozing). A doctor doesn't have to do that and it seems to be the problem Carson's campaign people have with him.

This, of course, writ much larger, is Pissy's problem. Carson, at least, has some humility.

YMMV

bagoh20 said...

A a wingnut, what has me concerned about this election is that in 2012, we reelected a man who was widely known at that point to be dishonest, divisive, and incompetent and who was already responsible for the slowest economic recovery in our lifetimes, with the highest percentage of unemployed Americans since Jimmy Carter. Are we any smarter, or more demanding now?

edutcher said...

bag, you assume that was an honest count.

If it wasn't, WE reelected nobody.

ricpic said...

Speaking of medicine, I read an article in today's NY Post to the effect that cancer is cured! Before you guffaw, cured in the sense that most cancers are no longer fatal and can now be managed as chronic diseases. Except...except for the interference of, you guessed it, the FDA, which, for a host of bureaucratic not medical reasons won't allow the use of certain drugs or certain combinations of drugs with a proven track record inducing remissions. Thanks, gubmint.

"People are dying not because drugs don't exist but because they can't get them."

--Dr. Vincent DeVita, arguing that the FDA should not be involved in cancer drug approval.

bagoh20 said...

Yea, I know, but enough did vote for the SCOAMF to keep him in charge because of whatever it was that made Romney worse. I know Mitt wasn't what a lot of Conservatives wanted, but how do you explain that electoral brain fart? It's still a coin toss no matter who runs. I have no faith in the American electorate anymore.

edutcher said...

Did they? Really?

I explain it with 100% turnouts (a statistical impossibility), 140% turnouts, crooked voting machines (the company that wrote the code was controlled by Dr Evil), people bused in from several states away, etc.

I know you want to say it was all Romney and that he wussed out or some other excuse, but, while it's comforting to throw up your hands and say, "We're doomed" , there's too much evidence that it was crooked.

As I say, you want to accept it was an honest count, be my ghost, but we've seen too many elections finagled away by Democrats (going all the way back to 1960) to dismiss the idea it wasn't an honest count when there's this much evidence.

Trooper York said...

"So while Carson probably won’t and likely shouldn’t be the nominee"

I am curious why you said this Little Debbie. I mean I know I can't support because of the Al Campanis Rule but why do you think he shouldn't be the standard bearer?

ndspinelli said...

Al Campanis was the bipolar GM to Ricky Branch. I'm being obtuse, like some are wont to do here.

deborah said...

Sorry Trooper, I forgot to use quotation marks. The entire post is from Weekly Standard.

Trooper York said...

Oh thanks Deb. I am glad you are not ruling out Dr. Carson.

I am not supporting him in the primary but I might bend the rule if he is the Republican Nominee.

Leland said...

I guess Ben has tacky awards in his home and someone painted him with Jesus. oops - never mind. Better stick with The Rodham-Bill crony-corruption. They have experience... and a machine.

That's how I read the OP.

Methadras said...

When a candidate like Carson is campaigning to be president, you can clearly see he is doing to for love of country, love of his fellow citizen, and that he believes this is his calling to do so and he's honored to do it. That's what it looks like to me.

Amartel said...

Ben Carson has a picture of himself with Jesus in his home.
The rest of the nation has to make do with repeated MSM halo-effect in photos of the One True Godbama.
UNFAIR!

Amartel said...

"I have no faith in the American electorate anymore."
2012 was a gut punch.
Hillary is the best we can hope for. She's so vile and awful that it should keep LIV enthusiasm levels down.

Amartel said...

And we should be shooting the MSM messenger every chance we get.

deborah said...

At bottom of article is a two minute vid of Christie saying it's Carson's job to answer questions raised by his book. I guess even it the article that kicked it off was admitted by author to be a fabrication. Wonder if he still works for Politico.

(vid at bottom of article)

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/christie-carson-ben-carson-bridgegate

Amartel said...

Christie is trolling for relevancy and airtime.
It's not Carson's job to jump whenever the media sends out lies masquerading as facts.
The better practice is to point out the media hypocrisy.
Chris Christie, of all people, knows that.

deborah said...

Yes, he's trolling. He and whatsit were kicked off the next debate onto the kiddie table. Graham and Pataki were kicked off the kiddie table.

But that IS the game. Now they're starting on Carson stabbing that person; not presidential material, etc.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

All I see are Bernie bumper stickers. Nothing yet for the Her Cankleness.

Amartel said...

1 Hillary sticker in my neighborhood so far.
Feel the Stern, the Esophageal Churn, the Inability to Learn Much Less Discern. Hillary!2016.