# Ben Carson for President thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 31, 2015, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554 "2015-08-31T22:58:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 36
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/701 "2015-11-24T03:41:54Z")
> [@Typo\_Knig](#): > > Yes, good for him! That’s the kind of positive action I’d expect from someone who’s not a professional politician - an admission of a verbal gaffe, and then moving on. We don’t see enough pols doing that these days. On the other hand, he should be a little less quick to yell “Me, too!” He only “remembered” it was on TV after Trump claimed it. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/702 "2015-11-24T05:10:40Z")
Makes me wonder how many other people sincerely believe they have seen those videos and reports too? And are right now totally convinced that they are witnessing a liberal media conspiracy… ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/703 "2015-11-24T13:35:46Z")
When all this video talk came up, I too remembered seeing a video of celebrations. I remembered it wasn’t Americans though. One scene I remembered was of a woman celebrating. I looked on youtube and found a clip of the video: [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-9JpRytCx0). At 7sec is the woman I remember. We now know the video was staged, but at the time that wasn’t evident. I’m guessing that Trump and Carson are remembering this same video and getting a few details confused. Until this recent controversy, I didn’t realize the video was staged. I’m sure a lot of people didn’t realize that either and probably still don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/704 "2015-11-24T13:58:43Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Makes me wonder how many other people sincerely believe they have seen those videos and reports too? And are right now totally convinced that they are witnessing a liberal media conspiracy… [Politifact](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2015/nov/23/mailbag-some-readers-say-theyre-trump-witnessing-9/) published some of their reader mail regarding people who “remember” seeing this happen, some claiming conspiracy. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/705 "2015-11-24T15:53:43Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > [Carson also thinks Thomas Jefferson wrote the Constitution.](http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/ben-carson-thomas-jefferson-gaffe-216146) > > As much as I hate to, I have to support him here. It’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility that he confused one document with another. If you asked a group of people who wrote it, I am quite sure that many of them would have said the same thing. I don’t know, the guy literally just wrote a book about the constitution… ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/706 "2015-11-24T16:33:15Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I have seen Christie on a couple of occasions step up and do the right thing. Admirable enough in any man, especially praiseworthy in a man who is, essentially, a boorish asshole. > > But this is kind of chickenshit, hiding behind lapses of memory? OK, he is a boorish asshole, so maybe a “tsk-tsk” is about all this rates. Still, _sheeesh_! Christie’s response: “I do not remember that. And so, it’s not something that was part of my recollection. I think if it had happened, I would remember it.” What’s wrong with that? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/707 "2015-11-24T17:13:11Z")
Wow, you have a real gift for droll sarcasm! Subtle, understated…good stuff! ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/708 "2015-11-24T17:43:12Z")
What’s wrong with Christie’s response? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/709 "2015-11-24T17:46:21Z")
If a politician is always saying that every time there’s a scandal, then you can be pretty sure he’s a liar. But it’s certainly plausible for just one scandal. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/710 "2015-11-24T17:57:31Z")
Is this a scandal? Is it a scandal that is in any way related to Christie? Someone asked if he saw something on TV over 14 years ago. “I don’t remember seeing that” is a perfectly acceptable answer. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/711 "2015-11-24T18:09:15Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Christie’s response: > “I do not remember that. And so, it’s not something that was part of my recollection. I think if it had happened, I would remember it.” > > What’s wrong with that? It’s wimpy. He leaves himself some wiggle room as if he expects to be proven wrong. He should have said “I’m quite certain it did not happen and Trump is a poopyhead”. ---
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/712 "2015-11-24T18:24:03Z")
While it goes against my better judgement to try to find logic in the Republican campaign, it boggles the mind that none of the bottom tier candidates come out and say Trump is a liar and Carson is a moron. What is the worst that could happen? Is Christie really afraid of losing his 2%? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/713 "2015-11-24T18:37:12Z")
Doesn’t want to nix his chances for the VP slot? ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/714 "2015-11-24T18:48:20Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > It’s wimpy. He leaves himself some wiggle room as if he expects to be proven wrong. He should have said “I’m quite certain it did not happen and Trump is a poopyhead”. The end of the quote, left off above, makes this clear: "But, you know, there could be things I forget too. But I don’t remember that,” added Christie. So if it happened, he would remember it but it’s possible it happened and he forgot. Weasel. ---
**Author:** ![Donald\_Rump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Donald\_Rump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donald_Rump)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/715 "2015-11-24T18:49:17Z")
> [@RedSwinglineOne](#): > > While it goes against my better judgement to try to find logic in the Republican campaign, it boggles the mind that none of the bottom tier candidates come out and say Trump is a liar and Carson is a moron. What is the worst that could happen? Is Christie really afraid of losing his 2%? The problem is that Trump’s lies are tailored precisely to what his supporters want to hear; and Carson supporters are morons in the same way he is, so you don’t call Carson a moron without calling them morons. Really, attacking Trump and Carson as liars/morons only works as a strategy to consolidate the anti-Trump and anti-Carson vote. Kasich and to an extent Bush:( have attempted this, to underwhelming results. Making matters worse for them, the establishment candidates collectively have been polling at less than 50%, so consolidating that segment is no guarantee of winning the nomination. If you’re Chris Christie and you want to pick off some of Trump’s and Carson’s support, you can’t do it by calling Trump a liar or Carson a moron. Actually, you probably have to out-lie and out-moron them in order to siphon off their support, which likely explains much of the behavior of the GOP candidates these days. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/716 "2015-11-24T18:49:34Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Doesn’t want to nix his chances for the VP slot? Not to mention book deals, speaking engagements, news and talk show appearances, etc. There’s a lot of money to be made by pretending the Emperor still has clothes. ---
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/717 "2015-11-24T21:08:37Z")
> [@Donald\_Rump](#): > > The problem is … I don’t disagree. But you have a half dozen candidates that couldn’t get TV time if their hair was on fire. What are they waiting for? ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/718 "2015-11-24T21:53:41Z")
Yeah, Kasich has pretty much said Trump and Carson are headed to Crazy Town and the net result was everyone called him a whiner. I think Cruz and Rubio have got the strategy right, just leave them (Trump/Carson) well enough alone and their “supporters” will eventually get bored. ---
**Author:** ![Donald\_Rump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Donald\_Rump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donald_Rump)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/719 "2015-11-24T22:13:43Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Yeah, Kasich has pretty much said Trump and Carson are headed to Crazy Town and the net result was everyone called him a whiner. I think Cruz and Rubio have got the strategy right, just leave them (Trump/Carson) well enough alone and their “supporters” will eventually get bored. Cruz is now starting to [telegraph](http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-11-24/bromance-on-the-rocks-surging-ted-cruz-begins-to-poke-donald-trump) that he’s going to go after Trump. But so far he’s doing it pretty shrewdly, for example in poking him from the right on registering Muslims: > [@](#): > > First, Cruz disagreed with Trump after the New Yorker expressed openness to setting up a registry of Muslim Americans in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks. “I’m a big fan of Donald Trump’s but I’m not a fan of government registries of American citizens,” Cruz told reporters in Iowa, according to Politico. “The First Amendment protects religious liberty, I’ve spent the past several decades defending religious liberty.” IMO Cruz is the most skilled politician running and is well positioned to take the nomination (move over, Barry Goldwater). He will need to develop a good way to counter Rubio’s facility for rattling off serious-sounding, if vacuous, talking points on foreign policy. But that’s the main obstacle facing him AFAICT. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554/720 "2015-11-25T00:18:05Z")
That one won’t fly with the Trogs. Of course it is important to protect religious liberty, but that’s like making sure the Methodists don’t make the Baptists illegal. But Muslims aren’t really a religion, so it doesn’t count. He’ll ditch that position, or clarify it to death. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554.md?page=35) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ben-carson-for-president-thread/729554.md?page=37)