Team Carson: ‘Politico [West Point] Story Is An Outright Lie’

Daily Caller ^ | 11/06/2015 | RACHEL STOLTZFOOS

[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.”

“This is what we have come to expect from Politico.”

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 anything”

This is what we have come to expect from Politico.”

Politico reporter Kyle Cheney, who has the byline on the Carson story, did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment.

[tumblindice]

I’m not jumping on either bandwagon either. He either made the statement that a scholarship was offered or he did not. It was either offered or it was not.
He either admitted that he made up a story, or he did not.

These are categorical matters. They are either true or false.

I think many here wouldn’t be surprised considering some of the screwball things he’s been saying lately.
In his favor, this is a vetting that Barky Obama never got, or when something similar was disclosed, e.g. “He said in a college admission brochure that he was born in Kenya!” was quickly dismissed by the MSM as `crackpot conspiracy’.

Any many here too were eager to elect a Republican Congress: `Leave Barry alone! It’s a waste of time. You’re embarrassing Free Republic! Let’s concentrate on electing good Republicans to Congress ... why then everything will be just ginchy, right Moondoggie?’

If he’s a flake the sooner we’re shed of him, the better. If Politico is lying, they owe him an apology.

Go Trump/Cruz

[WayneS]

You are correct.

Do you happen to know by which of those methods Ben Carson was “offered a full scholarship to West Point”.

[montag813]

there is only one thing to ask. Politico states that "Carson's campaign ADMITTED it was a FABRICATION."

Is this true? Where is the proof?

[wagglebee]

Okay, now THAT is complete BS.

What ACTUAL evidence do you have that Carson wouldn't have been qualified for West Point? Real proof, not just opinion.

I am certainly not a Carson supporter, but I also realize that neurosurgery ain't the same as community organizing.

[xzins]

My guess would be, since he was talking to the CofStaff of the Army that it would have been a superintendent appointment for gifted atheletes, scholars. The CoS would call West Point, and it would be done. It sounds like Carson thought about it and then went a different direction.

At the time, the military wasn’t a choice that many would make.

[xzins]

Wayne could have been saying that a full ride to Yale was BS.

[xzins]

I’m betting those are weasel words, too. They probably said that it was a verbal offer than Carson turned down.

And they interpreted that: “He lied...”

The liberal mind works that way.

[WayneS]

I did not claim he was not qualified for West Point.

The "BS" to which i was referring was your statement that because he received a full scholarship to Yale he "certainly" qualified for West Point.

That claim was BS when you first spouted it, and it is still BS.

[DandG13]

This is actually becoming fun, someone with street smarts and intelligence, against a bunch of pretty faces in the media that are idiots.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Carson is not my own. The guy is a whack job with whacko positions on most issues. At this point I would hesitate to let him operate on me.

[Hot Tabasco]

That's pretty funny, considering that you weren't even HERE on FR when the Dan Rather story was refuted by our own FReeper Buckhead.

That's pretty lame considering nobody had to be a FReeper back when the Rather story broke to know that it was a fabricated lie.........

The fact that so many here buy Politico's lie lock stock and barrel

Why take exception to THAT statement when it's absolutely true............

[wagglebee]

The "BS" to which i was referring was your statement that because he received a full scholarship to Yale he "certainly" qualified for West Point.

And you have yet to provide evidence that he wasn't.

[wagglebee]

He might not have gotten a full scholarship to Yale, I may have been incorrect on that.

[Las Vegas Ron]

Carson apparently wrote in his book that he was accepted to West Point. That is BS.

Apparently or did you read the book?

Carson's not my guy but I'd still like to know and read the freaking truth!

[Hot Tabasco]

Carson is not my own.

Does he have to be in order to defend him against this gross lie and assassination attempt by the MSM?

I would think you had some personal integrity and would recognize the difference between right and wrong.

I would offer a disclaimer about who I do or don't support in this primary but it has no relevance on this issue regarding Dr. Carson. It's just plain wrong.......

[Georgia Girl 2]

From what I have read Carson has left himself open to this predictable type of attack. He should have clarified it before it ever became an issue. He failed to do it and now he is screwed. The only reason Carson lasted this long is lack of scrutiny. Now the scrutiny has started and he’s toast.

[mkjessup]

Point taken and I stand corrected, FReeper Ifinnegan has informed me that such is not the case and has been a long time lurker.

Regardless of that, publications (paper or web) promote all sorts of stories and many times in the past we have seen news items from websites both on the left and on the right that have been accurate. Politico has been cited many times here on FR without this sort of blatant untruth. If it turns out their story is a total fabrication, whatever credibility they have will be filed away with the objectivity (har har) of the CNBC debate moderators.

[Trumpinator]

- not really a comment on this story. But I have seen ROTC be a great benefit to inner city minorities due to the discipline and organization it instills. If our public education system was organized along ROTC kind of principles - school uniforms, discipline, etc. it would be a great benefit.

Teachers could be ex-military (would have to be) per mandate. And they would be armed.

[WayneS]

I already told you that I did not say Ben Carson was unqualified for West Point. That being the case, I am under no obligation to provide evidence that he was not qualified.

The only thing I take issue with is your asinine claim that being offered a scholarship to Yale "certainly" qualifies a person for West Point. That is not true and it has never been true. It is also incredibly insulting to anyone who has ever received an appointment to West Point. It is more difficult to get in to the USMA than it is to get a scholarship to Yale.

Maybe you should provide some evidence to support your claim that an offer of a scholarship to Yale automatically qualifies a person for an appointment to West Point.

[Techjock]

Exactly. I must have missed the breathless reporting by Politico on the bald face lie told to the families of the Benghazi dead and the American people in front of flag draped coffins after Hillary had declared via email to her daughter and to heads of ally states that the violence was a result of planned terrorism. Surely Politico has applied the same standards of truth and integrity to the presumptive Democrat Presidential nominee.