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 ...
No, Politico is trying to help Hillary stop any GOP candidate. That site is full of leftist lying jackboots.
I think that by embellishing his chances at West Point and allowing everyone over time to believe he was accepted is actually more accurate. But still its fabrication by omission to clarify. Carson apparently was posting this embellishment on his Facebook page a few months ago.
Free Republic has been hit by a TROLL invasion. Thread should be pulled.
In his book Carson never said he applied at Westpoint nor did he ever say he went there. Politico implied all this. Read the book guys before you so cavalierly pass judgment!!!
In #38 You clearly suggested POLITICO is an ally of Trump and POLITICO did this to help Trump destroy Carson.
The word "ally" suggests a coordination to act together.
That's your assumption. I said no such thing.
You're full of it.
And you're nuts.
But he said he was offered a full scholarship which is a lie. Sucks that your candidate just imploded but sounds like you are the one not understanding.
Yes. The senario...
Carson surges into the lead.
Politico helps Trump to stop the Carson surge and split the outsider vote, which helps Rubio, which helps Hillary.
When Westmoreland spoke to him he offered him a position at Westpoint and said they would pay for everything. At the time Carson took that to mean a scholarship.
What Politico represented in their article was totally false and inferred. Read the book before you pass judgment.
That's a bigger lie than what some are saying about POLITICO. What a fraud you are.
Yes and Trump has several times singled out Politico when he speaks at his rallies as dishonest and possibly may go out of business.
Btw slick, you wanna keep bringing up your political bull sh*t regarding your post #38, I'll gladly accommodate you.
The gymnastics are required because the Trumpswabs have allied themselves with the left wing Goebellsians to take down a good and decent man. I graduated high school at 16 with SAT’s in the top 1%/and gradez in the bottom 1%. I was also a pretty good running back and a shortstop who never hit below .450 on any team I ever plà yed on. Representatives from the US Merchant Marine Academy told me point blank that an appointment Would be arranged after getting my grades up in a prep school for post grads. I went but could not stand the culture so after football season my Dad sent me some money for a bus ride home. I ended up joining the Army and eventually getting a BS in engineering with my wife, two kids and dog in tow. So when I hear that Carson could not have been promised an appointment I know, not think, that is bs.
Isn’t EVERY starting West Pointer a teenager?
OMG! He wrote these books years ago, and a ghost writer helped him at least on the second one. I assume he and the ghost writer did not think he was applying to be President of the US or any other job. They were trying to convey his recollections about his youth and how he was able to go from an angry young man to a brain surgeon, I suppose. There was a whole heck of things corroborated about his story, if you go into it without the preconceived idea you want your “gotcha” takeaway. His recollection of his meeting with Westmoreland was corroborated, but it was a different month than he recalled, apparently. It was freaking 1969, for God sake, and he was a young, impressionable kid who may have remembered a scholarship offer that was merely an encouragement to “apply and you’d probably be a shoe-in” type of conversation. The point in the book was to mention that he had some other very tempting things to pursue but he really wanted to pursue medicine. There is really no there, there, unless you are hell-bent on pouncing on every jot-and-tittle.
I’m not a specific fan of Dr Carson, but, he is getting a raw deal here. The story is not true as it is being portrayed in the media. Dr. Carson did meet with Gen. Westmorland as described; and was encouraged to come to West Point. The Army was looking for more Black candidates at the time. It would not be a stretch for Dr. Carson, a young idealistic ROTC student to think that a scolarship was being offered to him as it was presented. At any rate, he never applied or followed through with the offer. End of story! This is a good opportunity to identify the Trolls coming on this site. All those who are jumping on the band wagon to crucify Dr. Carson based on this inflammatory story.
Oh, go jump off a cliff. You are a very small person.
Nonsense. Telling a story and getting some details wrong, and fabricating a story are certainly two different things.
Now it could be Carson fabricated the story. Or it could be the story happened but he got some details wrong. But YOUR position was that his campaign admitted to the former characterization which seems very unlikely, so I simply asked for some evidence. My suspicion is that he and his campaign will maintain that he got confused and misspoke, not that he made the whole thing up.
Again, the words "POLITICO is an ally of Trump" are your words and not mine.
The word "ally" suggests a coordination to act together. That's your assumption. I said no such thing.
You added those words to what I said and that makes you a liar.
And a dumbass too, DragNut.
Does your #38 not clearly suggest Politico is somehow allied with Trump and working hard to destroy Carson, to help Trump?
You wanna keep this up? No problem slick.
I've got bad news for you if you think you're going to worm your way out of this loaded BS comment.
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