Posted on 11/07/2014 7:44:17 AM PST by Morgana
Go to any conservative or Republican event and you’re bound to find conservative activists who have a petition, a table, or a book touting pro-life doctor Ben Carson as a potential GOP presidential candidate.
The calls for Carson to run have been resounding for years and now it appears the pro-life physician has heard them and may be seriously considering putting together a presidential campaign. ABC News reports today that Carson plans to air a 40-minute video this weekend introducing himself to Americans.
The documentary titled “A Breath of Fresh Air: A New Prescription for America” will air in 22 states and Washington, DC. The paid video will detail some of his biography and family life, including his rise from being born to a single mother with a poor childhood in Detroit to director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins for almost 40 years, known for his work separating conjoined twins, to potential 2016 presidential candidate.
Carson first became a conservative star when last year he created a buzz at the National Prayer Breakfast when in front of an audience that included President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden spoke out about political correctness, health care and taxes.
He also called for a private health care savings plan and a flat tax in a speech that went viral and led to an editorial in the Wall Street Journal titled Ben Carson for President. He is known as a fierce opponent of the president’s health care law known as Obamacare.
Carson has shied away from saying he is running for president but acknowledged the calls from conservatives to consider doing so.
“No, I don’t want to be president. Why would any sane person want to do that?” Carson said, acknowledging he has noticed the support. “I think I have to consider that, with so many clamoring for me to do it.”
On abortion, Carson has been a eloquent defender of the pro-life position.
Previously, Carson made it clear that there is indeed no War on Women, as abortion activists are fond of claiming. Instead, there is a War on Babies perpetuated through abortion.
“You know, there are those of us in this society who have told women that there’s a war on them because that cute little baby inside of them, they may want to get rid of it and there are people that are keeping you from doing that,” Carson continued. “And women say, ‘No, no, they’re not doing that to me! No!’ And they get all riled up.”
He added there was obviously not a “war on women” because men give up their seats to pregnant women.
“There is no war on them, the war is on their babies,” Carson insisted. “Babies that cannot defend themselves. Over the past few decades, we have destroyed 55 million of them. And we have the nerve to call other societies of the past heathen.”
“What we need to do is re-educate the women to understand that they are the defenders of these babies.”
Carson has a way of putting things in perspective that endears him to pro-life activists. In August, the neurosurgeon and the author of six best-selling books made another compelling point about the issue of abortion that is sure to have everyone who opposes abortion concurring.
He pointed out how ancient civilizations have been criticized for the brutal practices of human sacrifice and child sacrifice — but he wonders if modern society isn’t “guilty of the same thing” because we have legalized abortion.
Click here to sign up for daily pro-life news alerts from LifeNews.com
“Well, it’s interesting that we sit around and call other ancient civilizations heathen because of human sacrifice but aren’t we actually guilty of the same thing?” said Dr. Carson in reference to a question about abortion. “The good thing is the American populace is moving closer and closer to understanding that abortion is murder. Every year we’re getting better on that regard.”
As CNS News notes:
Dr. Carson, the former director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, made his remarks on the Focus Today television show (online), hosted by Perry Atkinson.
He continued, “So, I think it can be done but we have to be, you know, smart enough not to allow ourselves to believe as the dividers would: ‘Hey, you got to stick to this and if you relent in any way you know you are abandoning your principles and your values.’ They’re playing us. We have to take the Esther approach: Get ourselves into positions where we can actually change it. Then we can save all the babies.”
VIDEO ON LINK
I don’t think Ben knows how he’s being used.
NOT true. Dr. Carson knows that he's just an image. He's not stupid. He probably/possibly thinks that's okay to put up a conservative black image.
His skin color shows that there weren't a WHOLE lot of white parents in his past, UNLIKE Obama.
That might even be held AGAINST him by his fellow African-American voters. Who knows.
I think some of these “qualifications” we think the president requires may be why we get what we get in the office much of the time. We get folks high on the qualifications who couldn’t organize a one car funeral procession.
I saw the movie. I’ve heard him speak several times and have read some speeches and papers. Pretty good guy.
Not the Presidential candidate for me.
More the Cruz type.
I’d still personally vote for Cain.
__________________________________________________________
At one time, I would have also, but, I lost ALL respect for Herman Cain when he ran like a scared little kid and hid behind God, and his wife’s skirt, instead of facing his accusers. When accused of making sexual advances toward women, he should have rared up like a man and said: “I want to confront my accusers and I want to do it on national TV in a live broadcast.” But no, he wasn’t man enough to do that because he knew he was guilty of being a whore-monger. If he was innocent, he would have stood and fought. He screwed all the people who had invested time and money into his “campaign”. So, screw him.
I like Ben Carson, but after Barack Hussein Obama, it will be a long time before America votes for another Black man for President or Vice President. I have no problem with a minority candidate heading up the GOP Ticket, but, it would need to be a candidate with a Hispanic surname. I’m thinking Ted Cruz or Susana Martinez. Martinez would counter Hillary Clinton or Liz Warren as a female but is also Hispanic.
Many people don’t realize how highly politicized the medical industry is. It’s amazing.
I’d venture to say that Dr. Carson has more political AND leadership experience than Obola ever did. Furthermore, he has scruples AND the people themselves are looking at him rather than just the political arena deciding that this is the guy they want to advance.
The last time I recall in my own life where the PEOPLE chose a leader that they actually wanted, it turned out to be a most excellent decision. We got a decent president out of it.
Ronald Regan
Dr. Carson may have some very different ideas about how things should be compared to Regan, but the people have spoken and I think their choice is a good one.
I’m not sold on any candidate, but I seem to recall that Dr. Carson holds a position as director of a large department of a prestigious hospital. I would suspect that HR issues, budgets, and first hand knowledge of the pitfalls of Ocare are in play. In addition, he is very involved in education issues. Just sayin’....not ready to count him out yet. The ‘Resident had some political experience, but never had a real job or responsibity. Dr. Carson has made life/death decisions, suspect he can handle politicians.
Yep. Apparently being a brain surgeon isn’t good enough...yet a community organizer is.
I know he may not be familiar with all the cogs of government, frankly I don’t care...he shows much wisdom, which I think is FAR more important.
THIS is the kind of talk we need.
Right now there is a beacon of hope for a 2016 R POTUS possibility.
So I think you’ll see a lot of contenders.
The campaign would be interesting, but Carson has no chance of becoming president. Obozo has poisoned the well for black candidates.
Carson might, however, make a successful run at becoming a senator from his home state of Maryland. Barbara Mikulski is now 78, will be 80 in 2016 and if she runs, she’d be reasonably easy to dislodge.
Cain has been quiet too long for me.
Fred has some screwy ideas, like abolishing the electoral college and letting the big states decide who is President
Fred Thompson is a man with huge political and government experience.
Carson is just a doctor that just switched to the republican party.
Carson won’t get my vote....he’s anti-gun.
What’s wrong with Ted Cruz?
:)
Ben Carson is one of the most brilliant doctors in the world. Fred Thompson is the guy pitching reverse mortgages to naive seniors.
Carson may be pro life but he is anti gun and supports gun control.
We cannot elect an anti-constitutional president. BTW, many have opined Obama will be the last black president for some time.
or maybe:
Carson is just a baby doctor being used by a PAC because he is black
and
Thompson is a guy pitching reverse mortgages to naive seniors
Thanks for the insight on who supports these kind of guys who write a book and want to start in politics as President of the United States.
One is just a doctor, one has been a Senator with vast political and governmental experience, and is still a Visiting Fellow with the American Enterprise Institute, specializing in national security and intelligence.
Senator Thompson (1994–2003) was no stranger to government and politics, going back to the 1960s when he worked as an assistant U.S. attorney from 1969 to 1972 and then Thompson was the campaign manager for Republican U.S. Senator Howard Baker’s reelection campaign in 1972 and was minority counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee in its investigation of the Watergate scandal (1973–1974).
“Thompson served as chairman of the International Security Advisory Board at the United States Department of State, was a member of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and is a Visiting Fellow with the American Enterprise Institute, specializing in national security and intelligence.”
“Thompson was the campaign manager for Republican U.S. Senator Howard Baker’s reelection campaign in 1972 and was minority counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee in its investigation of the Watergate scandal (1973–1974). In the 1980s Thompson worked as an attorney, with law offices in Nashville and Washington, DC, handling personal injury claims and defending people accused of white collar crimes. He also accepted appointments as Special Counsel to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (1980–1981), Special Counsel to the Senate Intelligence Committee (1982), and Member of the Appellate Court Nominating Commission for the State of Tennessee (1985–1987).”
Senator Fred Thompson served as chairman of the International Security Advisory Board at the United States Department of State September 2005 — July 2007. Senator Thompson also is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a member of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission and a visiting fellow with the American Enterprise Institute.
He later served on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senate Intelligence Committee, and the Tennessee Appellate Court Nominating Commission.
Fred Thompson Served on the US-China Economic Review Commission
- U.S. - China Economic and Security Review Commission
http://www.uscc.gov/about/commissioners/thompsonpg.php
Fred Thompson is an AEI Scholar specializing in Diplomatic Relations and Foreign Intelligence.
United States senator from Tennessee, 1994-2003 (chairman, Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, 1997-2001)
Member, Tennessee Appellate Court Nominating Commission, 1985-1987
Special counsel, Senate Committee on Intelligence, 1982
Special counsel, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, 1980-1981
As Chairman of the Government Affairs committee, he blocked giving North Korea essentially all of our trade secrets.
Fred Thompson is currently the Chairman of the International Security Advisory Board, a high-level panel charged with evaluating long-term threats to U. S. security.
- U.S. Dept. of State, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, ISN, ISAB
http://www.state.gov/t/isn/isab/68268.htm
Fred Thompson’s Senate Committee assignments:
Special Counsel to both the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations under President Reagan
Member of the powerful Senate Committee on Finance, which has jurisdiction over, among other things, international trade.
Member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Member of the National Security Working Group, which observes and monitors executive branch negotiations with foreign governments.
Chairman of the Government Affairs Committee 1997-2001
Ranking Republican Minority Member of the Government Affairs Committee 2001-2003
Chairman of the Senate Government Oversight Committee
Foreign Relations Committee, 1995-96
Member, Technology, Terrorism and Government. Information, 1995-98
Member, Finance Committee, 1999-200
Important Proposals and Inclusions Introduced while in the Senate:
Nuclear Proliferation Act
Special Counsel Act
Aviation Security Bill Amendment
FY 1999 Omnibus Appropriations Bill
Regulatory Right-To-Know Act
Homeland Security Workforce Act
Homeland Security Education Act
Thompson amendment to Treasury-Postal Title (Section 646) of the Consolidated Appropriations Bill
Regulatory Improvement Act (S. 981)
Thompson Amendment to the National Homeland Security and Combating Terrorism Act
Thompson Amendment to the National Employee Savings and Trust Equity Act
The Federal Emergency Procurement Flexibility Act
The Federalism Accountability Act
The Government Information Security Reform Act (GISRA)
The Thompson Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act
The Truth in Regulation Act
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.