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 ...
The problem, that I can see (assuming POLITICO is correct) is that “scholarships” are not offered by West Point unless one starts applying there, and West Point says he didn’t start the application process.
Again this is all assuming POLITICO is accurate in their reporting. A big “if”. Also there is the point that West Point doesn’t have “scholarships” per se, just “appointments”
So this is just a big train wreck for Carson, any way you slice it it seems. Again, if in his book he did claim he was offered a “scholarship” there (I don’t know I don’t have his book and I’m not going just on Politico’s word on that. Especially since that’s the critical word here that the “lie” hinges on)
Republican voters are not like Democrat voters. We don't like dishonesty.
""When presented with this evidence, Carson's campaign conceded the story was false."
Did the campaign use the word "False?" Or is that a fabrication by Politico?
I can see a top commander, impressed with the young Carson and wanting to see an African-American do well, offering to "find a way" to get him in. It DOES happen.
Are you not all familiar with how the service academies use their "Prep School" systems to get (marginally) better football players in?
As the top JROTC cadet in Detroit with excellent grades, he was certainly told by multiple people at the dinner that he would be accepted and that it was a full ride.
Carson never said that he applied to West Point and was accepted. He knew early on that a military career was not what he wanted.
Politico may indeed burn him down with their interpretation of Carson’s story, but I don’t see that Carson is guilty of lying.
Carson said he didn’t outright refuse the “scholarship” but that he did let “them” know that a military career was not what he was interested in.
Sounds to me like “them” is not West Point but rather the people who offered to nominate him and that “scholarship” is the full ride that would’ve come with being accepted into WP.
I give Politico two Pinocchios on this one.
Well thank God this is coming out now. The media is SO sure that Trump is done that they’ve turned their fire upon Carson whom they really believe is the front runner. His support will almost surely go to Cruz for the most part.
LOL!
There are no WP scholarships. WP is an automatic full ride if you are accepted.
Then why not write what he recalled rather than the fiction that is in the book? I just don't understand... Was Carson lying in his book, or was the book written by someone else?
ping
I would think that the meeting did take place, and Carson, being self confidant, figured the scholarship was in the bag but decided not to persue it.
I hardly think Carson isn’t proud of his real life.
I think you're more right than wrong. Carson writes, specifically, that he was offered a full scholarship to West Point. Carson was in some sort of ROTC program, and he easily could have been told by some official, "Someone like you could get a full scholarship to West Point."
And he simply remembers it wrong, or took too much away from that discussion.
I'm no Carson fan, but this is not a big deal.
If this was about him being told he would get in for free if he applied to hairdressing school, and he said in his autobiography that he was given a scholarship, he could maybe walk it back a little. But you just don’t lie about your military ANYTHING when you are asking to be elected commander in chief,
Damn. I liked the guy (not as presidential material) and now I find he’s been a liar. Not that we all have not lied from time to time; in the Navy we called ‘em “sea stories”. But I’m not running for anything, and I’ve ‘fessed up to the ones I remember telling.
So this all about Trump's ally POLITICO, helping the Trump campaign.
Do I have this right Mr. FreeReign?
Don't spam me with mult posts. Read post 104.
So you admitted your own post is bull sh*t. Lies and political bull sh*t should be spammed right our of here.
Right which is why I’m wondering if in fact he used the word “scholarship” in his book. If he did, and if it’s true that WP doesn’t give appointments to those who haven’t started the application process and if indeed he didn’t start the process than he is lying yes.
A lot of ifs all from Politico. I haven’t read his book to know if he did indeed use the word “scholarship” either, to describe what the general offered him.
I just wish this type of scrutiny was done about Obama and his relationship with Bill Ayers and Frank Marshall Davis but you are right, Ben Carson should not have lied, he had no reason to lie he is a brilliant brain surgeon
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