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 ...
I had to laugh.
Agreed, I hope he doesn't but he's not exactly known for his tact.
Westmoreland could offer to nominate him, but you don’t get offered a scholarship until you actually apply and are admitted (and obviously not everyone who is nominated gets admitted). Carson never even applied. But his book very clearly states he was offered a scholarship and that he turned it down.
See this MSNBC reporter’s twitter - he has posted the relevant parts of the book:
https://twitter.com/BenjySarlin
West Point, however, has no record of Carson applying, much less being extended admission.""""""""......
They said it I didn't, they admitted their fabrication. Kind of in the neighbor hood of all the Hillary fabrications, bullets flying all around me.
I'm sure when he/they wrote that book, he didn't know he would one day run for the presidency, and that fabrication would not hurt him, but yikes lookey here Ben, it's gonna hurt.
That is what gets me! Why do people who are indeed successful feel the need to lie about their past in this way? Down and out people do it to make themselves look/feel better; but often it is someone like Carson- he was a brain surgeon- where is the need to make things up?
I have to say when I heard him tell the story of being accepted at West Point, and turning it down I felt he was saying he didn’t accept because that wasn’t good enough for him- as if he was too good for West Point or the Army. It made me think twice at the time, did not impress me.
Not sure what his intention was with this story, but to me it was not impressive when he told it, and now that it comes out it is a lie, really not good.
Too close to stolen valor to me. I know I am quite touchy about that subject but pretty sure I am not the only one.
Fake history is fine for Democrats.
Well done. And well documented .
So now politico is being taken as the gospel truth?? I read the article, they’re developing a narrative through a very loose interpretation of what Carson says he says and what politico is saying he says...
That’s going to sink him.
His appeal was built on the fact that he was not
just one more lying politician.
That's where I thought he'd end up but after this, I doubt it.
Donald has been saying there were some negative details in Dr. Ben’s record. This, on top of his hard to believe claims that he had an ‘explosive temper’ (and that he hit or tried to HIT HIS MOTHER IN THE HEAD WITH A HAMMER because she told him to change clothes) may sink him. Keep your mouth shut, Donald. If Dr. Ben sinks, let him go down under the weight of his own deceptions and ambiguities. Won’t take very long.
You got that right. But Obama tripped himself up in similarly self-destructive ways yet never paid any price for it, even more egregiously, benefited greatly from his
damnable lies, pure fabrications much to our misfortune.
Ben Carson is a liar. That should end the church lady support.
Where are all the phony stories that Biden has told over the years?
How about Obama introducing himself to classmates as a foreign student in high school & college?
Problem he’s going to have is that neither Ted Cruz nor Donald Trump fabricate.
No big loss, he couldn’t beat Hitlery anyway, no way no how.
White lies?
As opposed to the bad black lies?
That's racist. ;)
Seriously, I agree with what you said. And Carson isn't in my list of top two candidates either.
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