Posted on 11/06/2015 10:48:26 AM PST by God luvs America
Never underestimate the capacity of the media to propagandize against Republicans. That’s the theme of this morning’s overwrought news coverage on Dr. Ben Carson’s supposed “lie†regarding a “scholarship†to West Point. The story began with Politico, which ran with the audacious headline, “Ben Carson admits fabricating West Point scholarship.†Even I was taken in by the headline – after all, that’s a pretty bold claim!
(Excerpt) Read more at dailywire.com ...
Find and dandy but why did his campaign come out and say so?
did they?? from story:
But Carson never said he applied. He said he was extended a full scholarship offer. What’s more, West Point doesn’t offer scholarships: all admission is free contingent on serving in the military afterwards. It thus seems probable that Westmoreland or another military figure tried to recruit Carson, telling him that he wouldn’t have to pay for his education – and that Carson read that as a “full scholarship,†and never applied.
In fact, that’s exactly what Carson’s campaign manager said to Politico in an email:
Dr. Carson was the top ROTC student in the City of Detroit. 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. He was introduced to folks from West Point by his ROTC Supervisors. 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.
Very strange.
West Point does not grant “scholarships.” Cadets join the Army and are paid as E-5s under 2.
I do not think that Carson is going to slink away off this. I do think I have already seen the circular firing squad formed up.
Another media hit job.
The state of the media is such that the more you read them the less you know. The less you read them the more you know.
It will be interesting. Because the passage in the book is very poorly worded and was written by the ADULT Carson who should know better - not the 18 year old kid who may not realize that Service Academy tuition is free providing you fulfill your military obligation.
Read the whole article which quotes the relevant passage from the book. Its plain to me what he means, and its plain that he isn’t lying. The press is caught lying, again.
I’m not a Carson guy. There are plenty of issues he can be attacked on. There is no need to invent a lie. But the press can’t help themselves, its what they do.
“Scholarship” may just be a colloquial term. The exact details and terms may be unfamiliar to most people, so suffice to say they offered him money in some form
to attend - aka “scholarship”.
I would guess that you could find a large number of successful, intelligent men who are not aware of the details of West Point admittance, and it being tuition-free in exchange for serving in the military.
Not everybody is as well-informed about all things military, as the average FReeper.
Can you imagine if they had done even a minute amount of investigating Obama???
You know, if the media had vetted and attacked and dug up trash from years back on Obama like they do every conservative candidate, he would not have made it a week into his campaign.
But instead, all we got were fawning stories about how wonderful and smart and handsome he was.
It still goes on... its blatant bias plain as day... and they don’t even try to hide it anymore.
Pollutico threw this crappola out there knowing that in today’s instant media market, it would be tweeted, re-tweeted, FB’d and spread everywhere before the facts were known.
The old saying - “A lie goes half-way round the world before the truth gets its pants on”
PS - I like Carson, but not as the next President
In Carson’s 1990 autobiography, ‘Gifted Hands,’ he wrote: “Later I was offered a full scholarship to West Point.” He added that despite turning the offer down, “As overjoyed as I felt to be offered such a scholarship, I wasn’t really tempted.”
Carson’s campaign said on Friday that his grades and conversations with ROTC officials constituted a de facto acceptance to the academy, which provides full scholarships to all of its students.
“Dr. Carson, as the leading ROTC student in Detroit, was told by his Commanders that he could get an Appointment to the Academy,” Watts said. “He never said he was admitted or even applied.”
West Point confirmed on Friday there was no record of Carson completing an application for admission. It is possible someone nominated him for the academy, but that would only have been an early step in the multi-part process of admission.
Read more at Reutershttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/06/us-usa-election-carson-idUSKCN0SV2CT20151106#x8TexakJzu9fchxp.99
However, one would expect the author to check all the facts before publishing his biography!
Carson did not lie, that is clear. He did not admit lying, but his answer was “interpreted” as doing so. The Politico “jumped the shark” on this one, assuming something that simply is not correct, based on their ignorance of what he actually said.
He said that General Westmorland offered to support him if he wished to attend West Point. All attendees receive full “scholarships”, as they have to commit to military service after graduating. Carson did not pursue this offer, and so never applied to West Point. Clear?
This is not a scholarship in the recognized academic sense, it is really joining the Army. Politico got it wrong, and doubtless will never admit that they are in effect lying.
My son went to Annapolis got a full ride. Yes he agreed to the Military Service requirement. Yet, I often referred to it as a full scholarship. To me the term seemed appropriate!
“full scholarship, with a hitch”.
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