Ben Carson: “I Do Not See a Political Path Forward”

 

Ben CarsonDr. Ben Carson has apparently decided to drop out of the race. He posted the following statement to his Facebook page moments ago:

I have decided not to attend the Fox News GOP Presidential Debate tomorrow night in Detroit. Even though I will not be in my hometown of Detroit on Thursday, I remain deeply committed to my home nation, America. I do not see a political path forward in light of last evening’s Super Tuesday primary results. However, this grassroots movement on behalf of “We the People” will continue. Along with millions of patriots who have supported my campaign for President, I remain committed to Saving America for Future Generations. We must not depart from our goals to restore what God and our Founders intended for this exceptional nation.
I appreciate the support, financial and otherwise, from all corners of America. Gratefully, my campaign decisions are not constrained by finances; rather by what is in the best interests of the American people.
I will discuss more about the future of this movement during my speech on Friday at CPAC in Washington, D.C.
– Ben

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  1. Mike H Inactive
    Mike H
    @MikeH

    Oh, thank heavens!

    I hope his support doesn’t go to Trump…

    • #1
  2. Guruforhire Inactive
    Guruforhire
    @Guruforhire

    well that’s unfortunate.  The primary is less without him.

    Happy trails bud.

    • #2
  3. Quinn the Eskimo Member
    Quinn the Eskimo
    @

    Can Gilmore reactivate his campaign now?

    • #3
  4. Guruforhire Inactive
    Guruforhire
    @Guruforhire

    Quinn the Eskimo:Can Gilmore reactivate his campaign now?

    From your keyboard to God’s inbox.

    • #4
  5. Joseph Stanko Coolidge
    Joseph Stanko
    @JosephStanko

    Paging John Kasich, you’re up next!

    • #5
  6. Max Ledoux Coolidge
    Max Ledoux
    @Max

    Quinn the Eskimo:Can Gilmore reactivate his campaign now?

    If he only suspended his campaign, then he can start it up again — especially now that the money will start rolling in.

    • #6
  7. RyanFalcone Member
    RyanFalcone
    @RyanFalcone

    I think his speech on Friday is pretty yuge. He can go a long way towards coming together as a party to forge ahead in a positive direction.

    Or he could go all in for Trump and this whole nightmare will just continue.

    • #7
  8. The Crooked Timber Member
    The Crooked Timber
    @

    I don’t actually see anywhere in that message where he has dropped out of the race. He recognizes that he can’t win, but he also doesn’t say, “I’ve decided to suspend my campaign.”

    • #8
  9. C. U. Douglas Coolidge
    C. U. Douglas
    @CUDouglas

    He is a good man, an accomplished man, and he had great ideas. I do not think the presidency was for him, and sadly good men and ideas are taking a back seat to bombast this year.

    • #9
  10. Guruforhire Inactive
    Guruforhire
    @Guruforhire

    Quinn the Eskimo:Can Gilmore reactivate his campaign now?

    hipster-cat-think-s-thats-too-mainstream--source

    Hipster cat thinks your candidate is too mainstream

    • #10
  11. Frank Soto Member
    Frank Soto
    @FrankSoto

    Joseph Stanko:Paging John Kasich, you’re up next!

    You unflinching optimist.

    • #11
  12. Frank Soto Member
    Frank Soto
    @FrankSoto

    The Crooked Timber:I don’t actually see anywhere in that message where he has dropped out of the race. He recognizes that he can’t win, but he also doesn’t say, “I’ve decided to suspend my campaign.”

    Probably coming on Friday at CPAC.  Not showing up to the debate means that everyone watching will assume he is out.

    • #12
  13. Leigh Inactive
    Leigh
    @Leigh

    The Crooked Timber:I don’t actually see anywhere in that message where he has dropped out of the race. He recognizes that he can’t win, but he also doesn’t say, “I’ve decided to suspend my campaign.”

    Right. I’m trying to figure out exactly what this means. I’m glad he won’t be on stage. I want the senators to do the talking. One “human time-out” is at least enough.

    But if he’s not going on stage, isn’t that more or less a de facto withdrawal? I mean, if the guy isn’t going to get up there and defend his candidacy how is he a real candidate? But then was he ever a real candidate? Or does he just not want to admit he’s suspending until he declares his next move and for some reason that waits until Friday? Or is he going to endorse somebody or other Friday? Wouldn’t it be just like this campaign if he endorsed Kasich?

    He doesn’t see a “political” path forward, which sort of implies he’s doing something non-political next? The man has the potential to do good.

    • #13
  14. Leigh Inactive
    Leigh
    @Leigh

    Frank Soto:

    Joseph Stanko:Paging John Kasich, you’re up next!

    You unflinching optimist.

    Look, maybe this shows the power of the Establishment after all. Maybe Kasich’s arm can be twisted.

    If you read that to indicate that I am in favor of a certain amount of Establishment arm-twisting by Reince Priebus and co., that is a fair reading. With the nation at stake…

    • #14
  15. Frank Soto Member
    Frank Soto
    @FrankSoto

    Is Trump officially out of the debate?  If so, we could have a wonderful 2 hours of Rubio and Cruz destroying Trump without him there to try and talk over them.

    Occasionally Kasich will interrupt to say “I’m John Kasich, and I’m still here.”

    • #15
  16. Luke Thatcher
    Luke
    @Luke

    What an obviously crooked trick this is. Ricochet is obviously poaching voters from Carson.

    • #16
  17. JRez Inactive
    JRez
    @JRez

    I can’t believe you’re repeating this story and stealing Carson’s votes.

    • #17
  18. JRez Inactive
    JRez
    @JRez

    Jinx luke!!

    • #18
  19. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    Trump skipped a debate but stayed in the race. For all we know, Carson will stop campaigning but remain in the nomination process to prevent his voters from joining Trump. Wait until Friday.

    I don’t know who his voters would go to, but I doubt it would be to any single candidate.

    • #19
  20. Richard Fulmer Inactive
    Richard Fulmer
    @RichardFulmer

    Frank Soto:

    The Crooked Timber:I don’t actually see anywhere in that message where he has dropped out of the race. He recognizes that he can’t win, but he also doesn’t say, “I’ve decided to suspend my campaign.”

    Probably coming on Friday at CPAC. Not showing up to the debate means that everyone watching will assume he is out.

    A sorry picture comes to mind: John Kasich standing all alone at the edge of the stage, ignored by the moderators, the audience, and the other candidates.  How much of that can his ego take?

    • #20
  21. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    Well, God bless him.  He’s a really good human being, and that’s more important than anything else.

    • #21
  22. Arizona Patriot Member
    Arizona Patriot
    @ArizonaPatriot

    This is great news from a terrific, classy guy.  Having Carson in the race has been good for the party and the country.  His dropping out now is, likewise, good for the party and the country.

    I’m very glad that Carson has been in the race, and hope that he continues to be a major figure in the GOP for years to come.

    I very much doubt that he’ll support Trump.  If he wanted to help Trump, he’d stay in.  I predict that he’ll endorse Rubio and say fairly nice things about Cruz and Kasich.

    Kasich should stay in for now, to (possibly) deny Trump a win in Ohio and perhaps a few other states (maybe Michigan and Maine).

    • #22
  23. C. U. Douglas Coolidge
    C. U. Douglas
    @CUDouglas

    Richard Fulmer:

    Frank Soto:

    The Crooked Timber:I don’t actually see anywhere in that message where he has dropped out of the race. He recognizes that he can’t win, but he also doesn’t say, “I’ve decided to suspend my campaign.”

    Probably coming on Friday at CPAC. Not showing up to the debate means that everyone watching will assume he is out.

    A sorry picture comes to mind: John Kasich standing all alone at the edge of the stage, ignored by the moderators, the audience, and the other candidates. How much of that can his ego take?

    I dunno. In the last debate, CNN needed Kasich around so when it got too hot for Trump, they could let things cool down with lukewarm Kasich.

    • #23
  24. Commodore BTC Inactive
    Commodore BTC
    @CommodoreBTC

    I’ve heard talk of Carson running for the senate seat vacated by Rubio.

    The primary isn’t until August 30, so there’s plenty of time.

    Plus it’s a very crowded field and his name ID and fundraising ability would give him a big advantage.

    It would be worth it for the lefty freakout of multiple black GOP senators.

    • #24
  25. Austin Murrey Inactive
    Austin Murrey
    @AustinMurrey

    Wait – I’m getting reports now that the Cruz campaign is urging Carson voters to vote Cruz on this basis.

    Pretty sure Ben is still in it and only meant he’s looking for a direction forward on 3/15.

    • #25
  26. Commodore BTC Inactive
    Commodore BTC
    @CommodoreBTC

    I will be shocked if Trump attends the debate tomorrow, especially now with Carson out.

    The moderators using Kasich/Carson to bail out Trump was the only thing that prevented him from imploding at the last debate.

    And Trump has very little to gain by more debates, and much to lose.

    • #26
  27. Ray Kujawa Coolidge
    Ray Kujawa
    @RayKujawa

    I think this means that he believes there might be better ways to get his message across than the current debate-o-rama cage match slug fest. He’s said it’s disgraceful what has been occurring in the debates. The debates are either trying to pull him off message and he seems to be getting ignored. He is a small government conservative in a culture that pushes for all the problems to be taken on and solved by big government. Will Trump, Cruz or Rubio make government bigger or smaller to tackle today’s problems? My next bet to make government smaller would be Cruz. To fulfill some of his campaign statements, I could easily see Trump increasing both the size and power of the federal government.

    • #27
  28. Frozen Chosen Inactive
    Frozen Chosen
    @FrozenChosen

    So is he still in the race or not?  I want to think the best about Dr Carson but it seems like he just can’t leave the limelight behind.

    • #28
  29. Ray Kujawa Coolidge
    Ray Kujawa
    @RayKujawa

    Commodore BTC: I will be shocked if Trump attends the debate tomorrow, especially now with Carson out.

    Trump missing a debate doesn’t seem to have hurt his prospects. So for Carson to miss a debate means he’s suspending his campaign? Not necessarily. A debate is just a debate. The same topics keep coming up and the sponsors play for ratings by trying to instigate some colorful jousting among the contenders. It gets old after a couple debates. I’ve missed plenty of them.

    • #29
  30. Max Ledoux Coolidge
    Max Ledoux
    @Max

    The Crooked Timber:I don’t actually see anywhere in that message where he has dropped out of the race. He recognizes that he can’t win, but he also doesn’t say, “I’ve decided to suspend my campaign.”

    That’s why I wrote “apparently” in the original post.

    • #30
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