Posted on 03/16/2014 5:10:55 AM PDT by ilovesarah2012
Sen. Rand Paul and Gov. Chris Christie placed first and second in a straw poll held during this weekend's Northeast Republican Leadership Conference, but Dr. Ben Carson may have stolen the show without being a candidate for anything. He emerged in third place with 11 per cent support, tied with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Sen. Rick Santorum. Paul led them by less than four points, with 14.7 per cent support. Christie polled 13 per cent. A 'draft committee' intent on sparking Carson to run for the White House in 2016 raised more than $2.8 million in its first six months of existence. That's more than double what the 'Ready For Hillary' group raised in its initial half-year, even though Hillary Clinton's candidacy seems far more assured than Carson's.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Ben Carson emerges as sleeper threat in N.H. Republican Party event straw poll, as Rand Paul and Chris Christie lead the field
Straw polls at this point? Meaningless. Why do we let straw polls in NH and Iowa dictate our entire lives. When this country fails, it will be self inflicted wounds that do it…..evil on the liberal side and stupidity on the conservative side.
I could proudly pull a lever for Dr Carson in the general. No problem there.
I like Dr. Carson, but like Christie’s, his anti-gun stance is a deal breaker for me.
Letting those damned communists and potheads in Red Hampshire set the table for our Presidential candidates in an abomination. Puke.
Yep. I don’t demand much, but I do demand someone who is Pro 2A. I may sit it out if the Republican Establishment has not gotten a clue by now, after failed RINO’s Dole, McCain and Romney.
NO MORE RINO’s!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAiliwfeClo
Carson’s version of the Constitution must have a zip code clause under the 2A. Really stupid words from a supposedly bright guy.
A good reminder of how vulnerable conservatives are to
1) splitting their vote for fringe candidates, and
2) climbing on the bandwagon of a minority Republican without any sort of voting record to show just how conservative they actually are. (Hello Colin, Condi, Allen “Pigford” West, and Herman McCain)
If Ben Carson is seriously interested in politics he should have run for congress this year, then governor—or at the very least taken on a senate race.
Hopefully we can elect Cruz, Palin or Walker and we won't have a problem either way.
Attacking Ben Carson Over Gun Control
March 10, 2014 by Daniel Greenfield
Let’s get a few things out of the way first…
1. Ben Carson isn’t actually running for president. I think it would be premature for him to do so.
2. The 2nd Amendment is non-negotiable.
… but Carson isn’t some Republican official who is preparing to sell out the country. He’s a successful doctor who is taking on a role as a conservative commentator, but he comes from a background of having lived in dangerous cities like Detroit and Baltimore.
Instead of rushing to attack him, it might be better to understand where he’s coming from and educate him.
The “damning” quote that is being circulated shows his confusion about the issue and his attempt to come to grips with it.
“When asked by Glenn Beck if people should be allowed to own semi-automatic weapons, Dr. Benjamin Carson said: “It depends on where you live. I think if you live in the midst of a lot of people, and I’m afraid that that semi-automatic weapon is going to fall into the hands of a crazy person, I would rather you not have it.” (Glenn Beck Show, March 1, 2013)
Carson’s comments reflect his life experience. He respects the Bill of Rights, but he has trouble applying it to the everyday reality of a major city where shootings are commonplace. It’s a problem that a lot of urban residents have.
A lot of city dwellers look up from a front page story about three people dead in a gang shooting and have trouble believing that the answer is less gun laws. That doesn’t mean they’re right, but it does mean that they need to be educated. Most of the country still supports the 2nd Amendment, but support is notoriously weak in many cities.
African-Americans tend to support gun control in large numbers. This is an emotional attitude that comes from life experience. It has to be overcome with facts, but it’s hard to convince people who have lived a certain way that their life experience isn’t valid.
Both of these are reasons to reach out to Carson. He doesn’t appear to have his mind firmly made up and is still grappling with the issue. If he actually enters the race or becomes a vocal advocate for gun control, it might be another story, but at this point it would be better to show him why gun control doesn’t work instead of denouncing him loudly for not taking the right position on an issue that he is clearly still uncertain about.
You don’t win over allies when you yell at people who have good intentions, but aren’t fully on board. There’s a big difference between someone like Carson and Crist.
Urging Carson to run for president is premature. Treating him as if he’s already in the race is also premature.
Carson understands the moral and legal principles, but he’s hazier on the social functions. It’s a challenge, but it’s the kind of challenge we need to meet if we’re going to win the war of ideas.
http://www.frontpagemag.com/2014/dgreenfield/attacking-ben-carson-over-gun-control/
Why is the loser Rick Santorum running? Does he have a core base of sympathetic losers that believe this pretender is a viable candidate?
BTW...... the ticket is Perry/Carson or Walker /Carson.
Carson as VP will replace the Obamacare disaster. It might not need a brain surgeon to do the job, but if the best brain surgeon in the world volunteers, he should be given the job
I think he should run for Mayor of Detroit next time around. Its his hometown and he’s well enough liked there that they have schools named after him. Plus he would have no say about guns there.
Me too. If a politician is willing to trample on the 2A, they will be more than willing to trample on all the others.
The 2A is not supposed to “reflect your experience”. It is absolute. And if someone running for President does not understand this simple fact, they do not deserve to hold the office. Period. End of discussion.
Do not make excuses for what he said.
If he runs, he has my vote.
An explanation is hardly an “excuse”.
He is not running for office at this time, and until he runs, it is just his opinion.
Exactly, pro-2A and NO SHAMNESTY.
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.