Posted on 11/06/2015 8:33:42 AM PST by GIdget2004
Ben Carson’s campaign on Friday admitted, in a response to an inquiry from POLITICO, that a central point in his inspirational personal story was fabricated: his application and acceptance into the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
The academy has occupied a central place in Carson’s tale for years. According to a story told in Carson’s book, “Gifted Hands,†the then-17 year old was introduced in 1969 to Gen. William Westmoreland, who had just ended his command of U.S. forces in Vietnam, and the two dined together. That meeting, according to Carson’s telling, was followed by a “full scholarship†to the military academy.
West Point, however, has no record of Carson applying, much less being extended admission.
“In 1969, those who would have completed the entire process would have received their acceptance letters from the Army Adjutant General,†said Theresa Brinkerhoff, a spokeswoman for the academy. She said West Point has no records that indicate Carson even began the application process. “If he chose to pursue (the application process) then we would have records indicating such,†she said.
When presented with this evidence, Carson’s campaign conceded the story was false.
“Dr. Carson was the top ROTC student in the City of Detroit,†campaign manager Barry Bennett wrote in an email to POLITICO. “In that role he was invited to meet General Westmoreland. He believes it was at a banquet. He can’t remember with specificity their brief conversation but it centered around Dr. Carson’s performance as ROTC City Executive Officer.â€
“He was introduced to folks from West Point by his ROTC Supervisors,†Bennett went on. “They told him they could help him get an appointment based on his grades and performance in ROTC. He considered it but in the end did not seek admission.â€
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
tennmountainman did #509
Sorry, I meant #503.
I am not sure why he said it more than once the way he did, but I love the way he apparently handled the press today. I could give him a kiss for bringing up the way they coddled Obama and never ever vetted his past.
Shocked how many freepers just bought this utterly bogus story today hook, line, and sinker.
That’s how much some of you hate this god man.
Now you look like fools after Politico was exposed.
+1
Well then, IF you are a person who jumped at believing a Politico DemoRAT hack piece, you should not call yourself a conservative either, because we conservatives are a lot more intelligent than those who are so gullible.
If not, you have nothing to worry about.
“Because I had done so extraordinarily well you know I was told that someone like me [could] get a scholarship to West Point,” Carson told the New York Times. “It was, you know, an informal ‘with a record like yours we could easily get you a scholarship to West Point.’”
However, there’s no such thing as an “informal offer” (or even a “full scholarhip”): an application to West Point begins with a nomination by a member of Congress or another prominent government or military official,Ben,and don’t you know that only a Democrat like Hillary can get out of one lie by telling another lie, but that never works for a Republican? It’s part of the double standard imposed by the Democrat-PAC Media.
Oh and you don’t suppose Donald’s hand is on the invisible sword that’s hacking Carson to pieces right now, do you? Trump didn’t get rich by wasting money unnecessarily: hoisting Carson on his own petard and letting the media crucify him for free is WAY cheaper than paying for a bunch of TV ads. (BTW, we haven’t seen the end of the Carson Revelations yet. I predict there’s more to come.)
And it’s pretty clear the Democrat Super-PAC media were building up Carson and Fiorina as GOP heroes, hoping they’d be juicy targets down the road to chop to pieces like they did with Herman Caine, etc. Looks like Trump is beating them to the punch before media-heroes Carson and Fiorina could do much damage to the GOP with their lies and wackiness.
You don’t “apply†to West Point. It’s not UCLA or Wellsley. You seek an appointment by a limited number of authorized govt. types. A distinct list of people who can submit your name.
Some candidates may obtain a nomination, but they may not get an appointment.
There are several other parts to the application process. Much like applying to any other post secondary institution, candidates submit a statement as to why want to attend, provide transcripts, ACT/SAT scores, and probably references...(I forget if military service academies require them...it has been several years since went thru the process with one of my kids).
Due to the military service component, candidates also have to pass DOD physical, medical, and vision tests.
Have to pass all phases to receive an appointment.
OK, so what if you didn't read the DemoRAT hack piece by Politico; you still agree with it and are using the same tactic by contorting the truth to make your case.
Of course West Point didn't offer scholarships; I stated it was a term they used and still use - it's shorthand for a longer explanation of what they really do, get it???
But I can see that I am responding to a person that lacks understanding and is looking for ant reason to put down Carson.
I'll state this way then - I am responding to a person who agrees with a Politico DemoRAT hack piece, so why should you believe what I stated in post 503 or this post? Just don't call yourself a conservative because we are a lot more intelligent than you who are so GULLIBLE and DENSE.
GOOD LUCK!
I can’t believe this is still being argued after the fact that it was Politico that lied came out much earlier today. (What if it had beem Media Matters?)
I am 63 years old, white, male, been a Freeper since 1999, a born and bred Southerner of above average intelligence and TODAY was the first time I ever heard that everybody who went to West Point got free ride and that it wasn’t called a scholarship but something else that I am still unclear about.
And then I think about a 17 year old being feted by the most famous General of the times and heard something like, “You know....with your record and ROTC rankings, I bet I could help you get into West Point.... and the Army will pay for it”.
Ask me twenty years later and I would tell you, “Hey...I got an offer to go to West Point on a scholarship, but I wanted to be a doctor.”
The nitpicking going on here is shameless.
Read the second to the last page on the West Point prospectus at
http://www.westpoint.edu/admissions/shared%20documents/wp_prospectus.pdf
IT STATES:
ADMISSIONS DECISIONS
West Point has a rolling admissions policy. Outstanding, qualified, nominated candidates will be offered admission as their records become complete. All admissions files must be complete, to include nominations, by the last workday in February.
Financial and Service Obligation
As a cadet, you are a member of the U.S. Army and receive a full scholarship and an annual salary of more than $10,000 from which you pay for your uniforms, textbooks, a laptop computer, and incidentals. There is no tuition charge, but there is a requirement for an initial deposit. Room, board, and medical and dental care are provided by the United States Government.
SO SHUT UP DEMORAT TROLL (AND ALL THE REST OF YOU HATERS)!
Too bad.
If Clinton had admitted to it, it never would have made the news.
Once again you ignorant fool.
Carson, in his OWN BOOK says he was “offered” a scholarship to West
Point but turned it down to go the medical route.
There is no such thing as being “offered” a scolarship to West Point.
Period.
When Carson says he was “offered” a scholarship to West Point
it is an untrue statement IN HIS OWN BOOK. I did not right the
statement. He did.
Nobody ever questioned that West Point paid full boat and more.
But nobody is “offered a scholarship” to West Point without going through the complete application process.
This fits a pattern of Carson stretching things to sell his story. E.g., “Bob” now wasn’t a friend named Bob, but a close family member, without specifying even that the family member was male, who this week told Carson he or she doesn’t want his or her part of the story out.
Well, Politico felt the heat and walked that characterization on back. They changed their headline and added this note:
Editor's note: POLITICO stands by its reporting on this story, which has been updated to reflect Ben Carson's on the record response. The original story and headline said that Carson's campaign had admitted he "fabricated" a "full scholarship" from West Point, but now Carson denies that his campaign's statement constituted such an admission, and the story and headline were changed to reflect that
Would be nice if Politico were a little more honest about their culpability, but they don't want to admit they did anything wrong, and yet they needed to withdraw an obvious false headline.
Especially about military service. Anyway, I never for a minute considered supporting him for pres. Cruz is the guy.
Rubio
By: Leon H. Wolf | November 6th, 2015
http://www.redstate.com/2015/11/06/politico-outright-lies-ben-carson/
After the real legacy of Obama becomes apparent to the masses, no black man will get near the white house unless he is scrubbing toilets.
Kyle Cheney of Politico is clearly a graduate cum laude of the Dan Rather school of journalism.
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