Posted on 11/06/2015 10:51:55 AM PST by xzins
“The campaign never ‘admitted to anything,'†a spokesman for Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson told The Daily Caller News Foundation in response to a hit by Politico claiming his campaign admitted to “fabricating†a key point about his West Point story.
“The Politico story is an outright Lie,†Doug Watts told TheDCNF.
Politico published a piece Friday claiming Carson’s campaign “admits fabricating†the fact that he applied and was admitted to West Point.
“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,†Kyle Cheney writes in the lede.
The Carson campaign disputes Politico’s unsubstantiated claim he ever claimed to have applied to West Point or been admitted: “He never said he was admitted or even applied.â€
“This is what we have come to expect from Politico.â€
Here is the full statement Watts provided to TheDCNF:
“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. There are “Service Connected†nominations for stellar High School ROTC appointments. Again he was the top ROTC student in Detroit. I would argue strongly that an Appointment is indeed an amazing full scholarship. Having ran several Congressional Offices I am very familiar with the Nomination process.
Again though his Senior Commander was in touch with West Point and told Dr. Carson he could get in, Dr Carson did not seek admission.
The Politico story is an outright Lie. Dr. Carson as the leading ROTC student in Detroit was told by his Commanders that he could get an Appointment to the Academy. He never said he was admitted or even applied.
The campaign never “admitted to anythingâ€
This is what we have come to expect from Politico.â€
Politico reporter Kyle Cheney, who has the byline on the Carson story, did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment.
Politico has an email from his campaign manager admitting the fabrication.
This is easily proven.
No, he didn’t. Check the facts.
As a 17-year old kid Dr. Carson can be forgiven for confusing “scholarship” with “appointment”. It’s totally believable that General Westmoreland would have offered his endorsement of Ben Carson through an appointment to West Point (a necessary but not sufficient part of the nomination process).
And yes, Politico can go to hell.
The establishment ploy has begun against Carson and it is for certain the lies won’t stop but only get more outrageous. After the establishment attacked Herman Cain in the same way, Cain decided it was not it worth the grief and dropped out. If they attack Trump with a lie, he has the resources to find out who spawn the lie and will go after the individual both verbally and legally. Unfortunately Ben Carson doesn’t have those kinds of connections or resources.
No, POLITICO does not have such an admission. That is easily proven.
Why is Politico still a recognized news outlet? This is not the first lie they’ve been caught in.
Can Dr. Carson or Trump sue for the lies? That would stop it.
I dunno. If you only read the excerpt of some blog and BOOM! Immediately believe it - then you may be a FReeper.
I say this cause I’ve done it too. We all have. We read something and start piling on as if it were true.
Later when we see the article was satire, or a lie - well (harrumph harrumph) It’s not my fault.
See #3
West Point requires an application. Westmoreland could not offer West Point.
I imagine much of aren't very good eatin'. We must taste like old weathered leather. Doesn't apply to the ladies. Just the ole smelly men...: )
Of course, FOX, eager as always to push Bush III, or Kasich, or Christie, or whatever to keep an anti-establishment candidate out of the picture, ran with it. Its on their site NOW.
This is more like a Carson response should be. This could backfire on Politico.
Keep in mind that Carson DID get a full scholarship to Yale, so he was certainly qualified for West Point.
General Westmoreland was not only a West Point graduate, he was Chief of Staff at the Army when he met Carson. If Westmoreland wanted to get someone an appointment, I would imagine that there was a near 100% probability of an appointment.
I've met Carson and I think very highly of him, I just don't think he would make a good president. But these attacks on him are pathetic.
This was different. They claimed that the Carson team admitted he fabricated his story about West Point.
The presented it as a news item and not as an opinion.
I can see how people would look at that and see it as no different than a football score or a weather report.
Some Freepers "apparently" fall for stupid Politico mind-tricks. Really, no BS.
It wouldn't be the first time, would it?
Now, maybe Politico could send a reporter on a simple assignment . . . like, say, trying to find one of BO's classmates at Columbia who actually remembers attending a class with him.
His campaign said that they offered to help him get an offer to attend.
POLITICO digs up dirt and plays up the difference.
We all live and learn. Far too many posters won’t read and when shown information contrary to their point transition to insults and accusations.
Election seasons bring out the worst in FReepers, and attracts trolls.
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