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We Should Talk About Ben Carson
Having given Bernie Sanders and his supporters a lot of guff — and to to show that I’m more than just a partisan hack — I feel it’s necessary to point out to our side that we have the potential to once again demonstrate the truth behind the Republican Party’s unofficial motto There’s Nothing We Can’t Screw Up™.
The case in point is that of newly-minted Republican frontrunner Dr. Ben Carson. Carson is a fine and admirable man — perhaps unique in all the world for his skill with a scalpel — and, having read his book, the irrepressible nature of his optimism can’t be denied. But he’s nonetheless the flavor of the month for Republican Primary voters. Keep in mind that at this point four years ago, Herman Cain was the frontrunner and Newt Gingrich was about to spike. Anybody could develop some sort of alternate history fan-fiction about how things would have gone had either of these men remained the Republican front-runner, but both were, in the end, deeply flawed candidates for a variety of reasons. Dr. Carson is no different.
Carson’s story is uplifting and uniquely American, but those qualities do not grant you the judgment, cunning, and credibility to either seize or occupy the highest office in the land. Should he become the Republican nominee we would most likely be treated to a passel of strange stories which would surely disqualify Gentle Ben from holding high office. Here’s the latest example:
Ben Carson stood by his long-held belief about ancient pyramids in Egypt, that they were used to store grain, rather than to inter pharaohs. Asked about this Wednesday, Carson told CBS News, “It’s still my belief, yes.”
The subject came up when Buzzfeed published a 1998 commencement speech delivered by Carson at Andrews University, a college founded by Seventh-day Adventists.
“My own personal theory is that Joseph built the pyramids to store grain,” Carson said. “Now all the archeologists think that they were made for the pharaohs’ graves. But, you know, it would have to be something awfully big if you stop and think about it. And I don’t think it’d just disappear over the course of time to store that much grain.”
As an isolated incident, I think this could be forgiven — a simple misunderstanding which wouldn’t be disqualifying in and of itself — but the trouble is that once you start to yank on this thread, the sweater begins to unravel to the point where you’re likely to end up standing naked holding a thousand yards of wool in your hands.
Who knew that jail was one of the leading causes of homosexuality? I guess the rest of America will have the opportunity to learn this lesson as well… in the form of 30-second ads shown over and over and over again.
Given that we have an embarrassment of riches in terms of candidates this cycle — and a strong chance of reclaiming the White House — the only thing preventing us from doing so would be nominating a candidate whose beliefs put him in a place that is incompatible with the body politic. As such, I place Carson’s chances of winning the White House at about the same as I would that the Pyramids were ancient power stations.
Image Credit: “Ben Carson” by Gage Skidmore. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Published in Politics
After the silly stuff Hillary and Bernie say on a regular basis, I doubt very much this is a disqualifier.
We all know that this playing field isn’t level.
The fact that Carson’s weird positions are a problem for a person like me (and I think a problem for you) is the issue.
The weird positions that Hill or Bern take are just that: weird positions… on top of a bunch of other flatly incorrect or downright evil positions.
I have the luxury of being choosy in this situation, so when Carson comes out with a whopper like this one it’s a pretty major turnoff.
Is there any validity to it or do we just sit back and allow the Left to conjure a narrative based on a lie because we are scared?
Agreed. A good man, but not presidential timber. Surgeon general, head of NIH or similar, enthusiastic yes!
Having watched the video clip there I think Carson handled himself very well. He was asked a question, answered it, and then defended his position and at the same time defeated the premise of the question. What’s the problem?
By the way I am not a Carson guy. I just fail to see this clip as exhibit A as to why Carson should go away.
Is there validity to the idea that the Egyptians stored grain in the Pyramids? Or that men turn into homosexuals upon leaving prison?
The links provided have videos where Dr. Carson discusses his opinions on these things, so it isn’t a leftist speculation or slander. These are his words. He needs to own them.
So dumb. Nigel Tufnel already explained that the pyramids were built by aliens, and stonehenge by dinosaur drool mixed with peat and wood.
Agreed. He should not be the nominee for other reasons, but who cares if elite liberals make fun of his views?
Uh unless I watched the wrong video, he did own them. He didn’t hem or haw at all when Cuomo asked him if he thought sexuality was a choice.
One of the Republican SuperPacs really needs to start putting our negative ads featuring video clips like these, as well as Trump’s more groan-inducing moments. Either it happens in the primary or it happens in the general, and I’d rather it happen while we still have other options. If Jeb was loyal to the party, he’d drop out and direct his SuperPac to do this.
Do you think that these are acceptable positions for the Republican nominee to take?
I don’t.
It does lead me to wonder if Dr. Carson has the ability to distinguish reality from fantasy so long as the fantasy is clothed in his theology.
I think you are too focused on the foreground here my friend. The premise is that a Leftist reporter tried to push Carson around and Carson did not budge. He did not stammer with a bunch of “uh uh uh uh.” He stood firm in what he wanted to say and said it with conviction. Now if you want to get all caught up on the fact that he said things that run counter to the homosexual lobby, go right ahead. But what I saw was a situation where normally you would the person with the R next to his name tuck his tail between his legs, assume the fetal position, and allow Chris Cuomo to kick him until the commercial break.
You misunderstand me.
I’m concerned that he is so proud of his ignorance.
I agree. If Carson is the nominee, we’re going to be shellacked.
But frankly I love the guy. There’s a place in the national conversation for him. Some of his insights are off the wall, but some start out looking that way and as you probe them they make some sort of sense. No, I’m not supporting him.
Well explain the ignorance. I honestly don’t know if straight people going into prison come out homosexual, but I do happen to agree that homosexuality is a choice and not a product of genetics. If that is what you are talking about then I guess you are just going to have excuse me.
I think there is more to what Carson is saying than you realize.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/10637532/Being-homosexual-is-only-partly-due-to-gay-gene-research-finds.html
You’re excused.
To be fair, you are the guy who keeps on talking about secession or high-tailing it out of the country with your family – to where, I haven’t yet heard – so I’m starting to get the gist.
I disagree with your position, but more importantly, I don’t think a Republican candidate who holds Carson’s position can get elected. To take another unpopular conservative opinion, I think it’s crippling in a way that “climate change isn’t real,” isn’t.
I can handle weird positions on stuff that is not strategic. The cause of homosexuality is hardly a critical national emergency.
I am interested in the fact that Carson is campaigning by grassroots use of Facebook, answering voter questions every day, which plays to his best style, thoughtful, written responses. Both Carson and Trump are making up whole new rules on what works in a campaign.
If only they would team up, it would be worth it to see the media and GOPe heads explode.
By the way, there is a very popular series out on alien influence on ancient peoples. You may think the Pyramids as power stations is silly, but you may be surprised to learn you may be in the minority on that opinion. (I do not think they are power stations either, but hey, they saw it on TV…)
What that I’m a wacko. Why don’t you come out and say it then?
What is a lie exactly? These are Dr. Carson’s own words.
Then he’s obviously not prepared to be president.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue_WQcFJd8U
I like watching the Ancient Aliens show – but because it makes for good travelogue and comedy, generally.
Carson’s stated opinions on these things just get back to basic credibility. May I ask then: What’s your limiting principle? If Carson said that the moon landings were faked, and that the moon is made out of cheese would that be disqualifying? It’s not quite that absurd… but it’s fairly close.
The bottom line is this: I have no interest in abetting the public’s scientific or historical ignorance for the sake of advancing political candidates.
We’re talking about Carson believing in some borderline conspiracy theory stuff, here. Do you think that if a significant number of gays were homosexual by choice that we wouldn’t know it? To say that they are that way by choice implies that they’re all keeping a secret and lying about it… to what end, I don’t know. Perhaps Ben can enlighten us.
Yes these individual issues aren’t all that important, but I think they demonstrate a lack of critical thinking and an ability to make a judgement based on available evidence. This is critical for a President and, remarkable as Dr. Carson is, I don’t think he’s fit to be President.
I didn’t say you’re a wacko.
I said you’re the guy who spouts off about secession and leaving the country. You’ll have to pardon me if I take you as seriously as I take Alec Baldwin [Redacted for CoC].
I love Ben Carson but he can’t win so he must not be our nominee. Nobody who says the things he’s said can ever win a general election. We have to move on. He’d be a great surgeon general.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar (Lew Alcindor–remember him?) thinks Ben Carson is so “frightened by all that complicated science” that he clings to “superstition and religion” in its place.
Does anyone actually think that a person who has a terribly compromised baby would be worried about whether or not Ben Carson was so “frightened by all that complicated science” that he would be unable marshal the knowledge, the time, the science, and the team of experts, to save it?
I didn’t think so.
Ben Carson’s great selling point is that he may be humble enough to assemble a team of the best people to address this country’s problems. Because, unlike Donald Trump, he doesn’t think he’s smart enough, or knowledgeable enough, to run this country on his own. Nor does he want to.
Haven’t we had enough of people who think they’re smart enough to run this country on their own?
Mr Alcindor is the DNC black man targeted at a threatening black man. Discredit, disqualify and destroy. Time to call him the racist that he is.
OK. You first.