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 ...
I think it is quite likely he was told he could get an appointment to West Point and impossible to prove.
What a disaster!
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/ben-carson-west-point-215598#ixzz3qjPYVWSC
Interesting how a lie from a Republican leads to his undoing, but Hillary and OIdiot (or any Democrat) can lie and lie and gain support. That Carson admits to this is bad (pathetic really), but lying should be equally damning to everyone!
What planet are we on? The only explanation that makes sense to me is that this is spiritual. There is no way I can believe that so many people can be blind to such blatant hypocrisy (regardless of who you support). Many, many people in this nation has been “given over” to their own evil desires (Romans I) so that they are literally blind to it (them). What else can it be? We are living in an insane asylum...seriously.
I want Trump because I want to clean house. Outsiders only. I want the Establishment (both sides) all gone. The political class has overstayed their welcome. The next platform I’d love to see Trump put forward is TERM LIMITS for Congress. I think that’d seal the deal. The only thing more unpopular than a turd in a swimming pool is Congress.
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. <\i>
But he was NOT offered a scholarship, which is what his book claims. Westmoreland is not in a position to offer that. He was offered a nomination. It takes a lot more than that (first and foremost, an application for admission) yo be offered a scholarship.
“Where will his white guilt GOP supporters go?”
They’ll curl themselves into the fetal position, suck their thumb and cry. They are that pathetic.
So this all about Trump's ally POLITICO, helping the Trump campaign.
Do I have this right Mr. FreeReign?
I kind of feel vindicated for getting dogpiled a little bit last night because I posted a link to a story about the ‘fictitious characters’ from his violent past.
We don’t need liars and scam artists in our nomination process. Leave that nonsense to the libs. This guy is a fraud.
Really? You see the Carsonites, the adorers of good manners and soft-spokeness and "christian authenticity" to run right past Ted and Marco and head straight for The Donald? Really? I see this as a boost for Cruz and Rubio, the only other serious candidates besides Trump, because that's where the Carsonites will go.
Trump supporters would turn their mothers in for smoking in their cars if it accrued to Trumps benefit.
Carson is not my guy because I don’t think he is good at dealing with unreasonable and evil people like a President needs to—but the article’s headline and opening implies he lied outright about something central to his life story. While the supporting details relegated to deeper in the article paint a picture of him getting a few things wrong about something that was incidental to him.
I feel bad for him too. I don’t support him for the nominee but this seems like such a senseless thing for him to have written.
His story was good without the embellishment.
Yup...going in, he had zero aspirations for the Presidency in my opinion.
Who benefits the most? Trump? Cruz?
Isn’t it interesting how the ‘standard’ of truth is so polar opposite between how the media treats Conservatives/Republicans and the Marxist Democrats?
The ‘truth’ is whatever Obama and Hillary say it is - with no investigation or reporting of blatant and overt lies - some of which happen from one sentence to the next.
But hey, if you are not running for Dictator for the Left, you get to have a daily anal examination that is trumpeted front page and leading story every newscast.
Not justifying Carson here. I think he is done.
In this declining country - getting caught in a lie or caught in corruption is not the death knell for a political campaign.
ADMITTING to the transgression is the death knell.
So - advice from the Hillary and Obama method: never admit doing anything wrong - always justify everything. Everyone will buy your Bovine Excrement as gospel.
There are several categories in which you can put fact-checks:
Verified
Maybe this is the way he saw it at the time or the way he remembered it (honest error)
White Lie (names have been changed out of concern for privacy, literary device used without changing anything essential, no personal gain)
Exaggerated/Embellished (dishonest error, but not exactly a lie)
Lie
Not verified or contradicted
You don’t get many Lies. Maybe zero. I get VERY SUSPICIOUS when I come across exaggeration and embellishment when I am part of a search committee. The thing is, most statements are in the not verified or contradicted category. Therefore, the only way you can have any trust in the mass of data you’re presented is from the few things you can verified or contradict.
Then why did his campaign admit that he did?
Oh wow. Ok thanks.
So in his book, he definitely said he was “offered a scholarship”? (And not just a nomination?)
And it definitely takes starting the admission process to be offered a scholarship?
If the answers to those questions are “yes” then he is toast yes.
Do we sacrifice Carson, and make a HUGE deal about lying?
While I am careful about Trump, the guy has been vetted for years. AND, if there were skeletons in his closet People Magazine and E TV would have had them ten years ago.
And, if he was a crappy boss you would think we would have heard about that by now.
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