“What is Carson saying that is drawing more people to him in the polling?”
I’d be interested in the answer to that myself.
Obviously he’s an intelligent man. And a man of conviction.
But it will take more than intellect and right thinking to release this country from the grip of the Communists.
Many posters here believe that what the people want this year is a bulldog, like trump. Someone who will fight, fight, for us, and be a leader with a bacbone.
Two things:
People want someone who will fight for the PEOPLR, for the LITTLE guy. So when trump was about yelling about criminal illegals, and a wall, and making Mexico pay for it, and fighting for Kate’s Law to I mm prison Mexican murderers, people felt that way about him.
When he attacked mccain, well, folks were like, McCain is the enemy, anyway. But even then, there were warning signs, these warning signs increased with attacks on Walker, Carly, etc. There were warning voices here on FR. But they went unheeded, dismissed.
Second, even at his highest, trump was favored by a minority of Republican voters. True, it was an outsized share of a 17 candidate field, but trump seemed to assume, not necessarily correctly, that as the field narrowed, his plurality would grow into a majority, ignoring his relatively high negetives.
In the meanwhile, the people, the ordinary voter, noticed a change in trump’s words. trump largely abandoned fighting for people, and increasingly spent time fighting for himself, against Jeb, against Rubio m against Carson.
The folks predisposed to trump could easily let attacks slide on Jeb. He was, afterall, the enemy. Rubio. A little less so. But Carson? And now, against his religion??? The man who has been married three times, and says he’s never asked God’s forgiveness, because he never needed it???
And things started to crystallize for some voters. trump, in some ways, is just another one of THEM: politicians. Just another yelled and screamer, another partisan, looking out mostly for himself.
But why the turn toward Carson?
Because he is a conciliator. People are tired of t h e divisiveness of the last presifency. Everywhere they look, they see divide. By party, by race. By class. So, when trump heaps scorn on Carson, Carson says, I’m not going to be drawn into the mud. When asked about Sharpton, he draws a distinction betwend himself and Sharpton but is conciliatory. Whether true or not (and I don’t know whether it is true), right now, people see Carson, as a concilator, as a healer a unifier. And I think a percentage of folks want that right now. They want someone who is nice. Decent. Honest. Successful without stepping on others. It doesn’t hurt that he has such a marvelous story. From rags to tiches. From the ghetto to a premier neurosurgeon. Stupid trump’s attacks on his abilities as a doctor didn’t help. Rather, they rankled. People know! They have prior knowledge! Carson’s life is the subject of a best-selling autobiography. Long before this campaign, many people already knew about Carson and his life’s work dedicated to saving babies, his heroic deeds, his tireless work. And trump attacks him as an “OK doc???” As “low energy???” A man who would stand and perform for 20 hours at a time, performing the most delicate operations on babies??? Managing teams for A SINGLE OPERATION that numbered in the dozens??? Choreographing the movements and actions of EVERY MEMBER for 20 hours or more??? trump criticizes this man for lack of management experience, saying oh maybe he’s managed “a nurse or two???”
So, what does Carson do? He goes on a BOOK TOUR, encouraging people to read more of his books! Retelling his story. Indirectly showing trump to be a grand, self-serving liar, without ever saying a single negative word.
That is the appeal of Carson. That is why the candidacy of trump is losing its shine. I don’t k now if it will last. I’m a Cruz guy, myself. But I understand Carson’s current appeal. My wife said it in one word this morning. “Nice.”