Why a Johns Hopkins Neurosurgeon Is Getting 2016 Presidential Buzz

National Journal ^ | 02/13/2013 | Elahe Izadi

[SeekAndFind]

Pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson speaks to an audience in Central Michigan University in October 2009. (Jeffrey Smith/Flickr)

If conservatives are looking for a political outsider with an inspiring rags-to-riches story and who could effectively challenge President Obama’s policies on health care and taxes while also quoting Scripture and criticizing political correctness, look no further than Ben Carson.

Carson, raised by a single mother in a poverty-stricken home, who went on to become a top Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon, gave a nearly 30-minute speech at the National Prayer Breakfast last week that indirectly criticized many of the policies promulgated by President Obama -- all while the president sat just to his side.

A YouTube video of Carson’s speech has since racked up more than 1 million views. A Wall Street Journal editorial ran under the headline “Ben Carson for President.” Carson told Sean Hannity on Fox News, “If the Lord grabbed me by the collar and made me do it, I would. It’s not my intention.” Hannity replied, “I would vote for you in a heartbeat.”

In particular, Carson’s views on some of Obama’s most hard-fought-for policies –- health care and income tax levels -- have caused many on the right to talk about his political prospects. On health care, Carson said every child born in the U.S. should receive a medical savings account, which could receive pretax contributions.

"We can make contributions for people who are indigent," Carson said. "Instead of sending all this money to some bureaucracy, let's put it in their HSAs. Now they have some control over their own health care. And very quickly they're going to learn how to be responsible."

When it comes to taxes, Carson pushed for a flat income tax by citing the biblical concept of tithing. "Some people say, 'Well that's not fair because it doesn't hurt the guy who made $10 billion as much as the guy who made 10.' Where does it say you've got to hurt the guy? He just put a billion dollars in the pot. We don't need to hurt him," Carson said. "It's that kind of thinking that has resulted in 602 banks in the Cayman Islands. That money needs to be back here building our infrastructure and creating jobs."

Carson has also endeared himself to social conservatives, blasting the idea of political correctness, saying that it is destroying the nation by silencing conversations.

His life story inspired a 2009 movie starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. Carson grew up in Detroit and didn't do well in school until his mother pushed him, despite her own lack of formal education. Carson went on to become only the 11th African-American board-certified neurosurgeon in the country, and he gained national prominence for his role in a complicated series of surgeries separating five sets of conjoined twins.

Perhaps Carson is primed for a move into the political fray; he’s a regular on the lecture circuit, talks frequently about public education, and came out with a book last year entitled America the Beautiful. There’s certainly a groundswell of support for it. While on Fox News, Carson responded to Hannity’s pledge that he’d get his vote for president by saying, “I have so many e-mails from people saying that, I could probably finance my campaign if each one gave me a nickel.”

CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE VIDEO OF HIS SPEECH

[Chickensoup]

Why a Johns Hopkins Neurosurgeon Is Getting 2016 Presidential Buzz

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Because we are desparately trying to turn back years of leftist corruption and all bets are off.

This is the ideal candidate. The conservative version of John Anderson or Gene McCarthy. I do think the Good Doctor would be just the person to head up Health and Human services.

[factoryrat]

Yes, because we’re suppose to choose from a preselected list of GOP approved RINO’s who’ll toe the party line. It will be “inevitable”, just like romney. Hell, why even bother with primaries, and why would candidates even bother running in them. The GOP does more damage to itself than the dems could hope to imagine. IMHO, the conservatives are fools for hitching their wagon to the republican party.

[Lake Living]

Hey, WE should be the ones doing the fishing. Would you really want a person as candidate that was not morally qualified? I wouldn’t. Herman Cain deserved exactly what he got. There was “something” very unsettling about what was going on with him and really, to this day, we still don’t know - his responses were not totally convincing to say the least. If the process starts now for Dr. Carson I would think it would be settled before any presidential campaign starts. There’s nothing wrong in people expressing their initial “hoped for” expectations - we all need a little good news and a little hope at this point. If he’s not our man he sure seems to be a “type” of what we’re looking for. Time will tell if Dr. Carson really has what it takes to “fill the prescription” for a conservative candidate - but at first blush he looks very encouraging.

[TomGuy]

why even bother with primaries

Last year, many FR posters kept asking me who I was for, since I was throwing mud at all of the wannabes.

I responded that it probably wouldn't matter. My state primary was held late, late in the season. I posted that the race would be decided long beforehand. It was. By the time of the state primary, Romney already had the nomination locked up. Similar in 2008 with McCain. My state primary for the presidential nomination was a waste of time and money, because the results were insignificant.

[TomGuy]

Herman Cain deserved exactly what he got. There was “something” very unsettling about what was going on with him and really, to this day, we still don’t know - his responses were not totally convincing to say the least.

'I categorically reject your allegation ...'

Whattttttt? I shook my head every time Cain used that phrase. Either he did or he didn't do the things in those allegations, but he always danced around avoiding a direct 'yes' or 'no' response.

The first time I heard his 'categorically reject' remark, I thought there was something more to the allegations. Other shoes started dropping.

[bert]

Heritic!!!!

Herman Cain is the genuine Conservative article. Unlike Carson, a surgeon, Cain is a businessman who articulates almost the same speech. If you believe otherwise you should quit now. You will never find anyone acceptable.

You should note, the interview, the long interview was given to Neil Cavuto yesterday. In a similar vein, Herman Cain first appeared over and over on Neil’s show. Perhaps Neil (and News Corp) has found a new face to put forward for consideration.

There should be literal guns and knives and water boarding for the MSM scoundrels that come to tear Carson down.

[NFHale]

I have to say, I loved watching the expressions play across Jughead’s face. He clearly wasn’t happy with the good doctor taking polite jabs at him.

Id have preferred him to be not so polite, but still, it was an inspiring moment.

Good on ya, Doc.

[Vaduz]

Oh brother everty time a black says anything bad about Obama it’s presidential buzz,it’s getting old fast.
And yes I agree with Carson.

[Gator113]

I was impressed with Carson’s speech and he has a wonderful personal life story. However, there is no way in the world that I would support him for ANY office without knowing a heck of a lot more about him.

Granted, after 4 horrible years of Obama, Carson is a breath of fresh air. I would like to hear much more from Dr. Carson .

[sickoflibs]

RE :”Heritic!!!! Herman Cain is the genuine Conservative article. Unlike Carson, a surgeon, Cain is a businessman who articulates almost the same speech. If you believe otherwise you should quit now. You will never find anyone acceptable”

LOL, I have one friend here who occasionally looks back at Cain fondly, but Herman's ship sunk with all those wimmin and even he knew that.
Cain was supported by some (in my opinion) simply because all the other not-Romney’s were flawed in one way or another, usually more than one.
The make believe ‘for attention’ run’s of Palin and Trump were just a lead up to the Cain cartoon campaign run. It shows that many anti-Romney Republicans (of which I was one) were so despirate that they would follow anything that made a woof-woof.

RE :”You should note, the interview, the long interview was given to Neil Cavuto yesterday. In a similar vein, Herman Cain first appeared over and over on Neil’s show. Perhaps Neil (and News Corp) has found a new face to put forward for consideration.”

That is where I saw him. Cavuto’s the only one I watch regularly (DVR) on FNC now.

I refuse to play the ‘who I want to run’ game this early, esp after the last four years feasco, but Rub and Paul have a way to go in my view.
Have either ever accomplished anything? I fear a replay of the endless 'follow the woof-woof' ies.
Rub and Paul can start by killing some of these Senate bills in the Senate (and propose their own alternatives) so they dont reach the House, and since both are for amnesty I expect little help from them there. Just voting against stuff that passes doesnt impress me and wont get them in the WH.

[crosshairs]

He’s a phenomenon on the right, but it’s completely unrealistic, needless to say, for a total political novice to contend seriously for a presidential nomination, even one as personally accomplished as Carson.

That's exactly what we need, but not a novice in the way hussein is/was.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: there is no way in the world that I would support him for ANY office without knowing a heck of a lot more about him.

_______________________________

You might want to start here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Ben_Carson

[SeekAndFind]

RE: That’s exactly what we need, but not a novice in the way hussein is/was.

OK, a lot of people had problems with Romney because he is a Mormon.

Anybody going to be reluctant in the case of Dr. Carson as he is a Seventh Day Adventist.

[sweetiepiezer]

Gifted Hands the movie on the internet.

http://www.renewamerica.com:80/article/130211

[SeekAndFind]

Remember when the media quizzed Marco Rubio regarding his view of the age of the earth just to dig up something to ridicule?

Well, It just so happens that dr. Carson does not believe in the Darwinian Theory of Evolution.

In a debate with Richard Dawkins, Francis Collins, and Daniel Dennett, Carson stated he doesn’t believe in evolution: “I don’t believe in evolution...evolution says that because there are these similarities, even though we can’t specifically connect them, it proves that this is what happened.”

Here is the audio:

http://archive.org/details/RichardDawkinsDanielDennettVs.FrancisCollinsBenjaminCarson

[Gator113]

Thanks, but I’ve already seen that entry. I started my research right after listening to his breakfast speech.

So far, I think he looks promising, but I have learned to be a ‘slow breather’ on such matters.

[Marathoner 244]

You’d have to dig a hole and put the bar in it when considering Obama. The guy is totally unqualified for the job.

[Oldhunk]

He could run third party and probably do very well. He is a registered independent.

[GOPJ]

Pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson has my vote...

[bert]

——Cavuto’s the only one I watch regularly (DVR) on FNC now.——

Amen. I do watch Bret’s special report live.

My wife is retired and requires noise. She leaves Fox on all day