[Mercat]

He said he only applied to one school. Even though one is appointed to the academies, one still has to apply and go through a lengthy set of interviews etc. Sounds like he was encouraged to apply but didn’t. That’s not actually an “offer” to be a cadet but an offer to apply.

[Another Post-American]

If that’s true then the Politico piece is a dishonest distortion of the facts. Looks like they are starting to fear/hate Carson the way they fear/hate Trump.

[mquinn]

Fake gangsta, atrocious hip-hop pandering, pyramid weirdness, and now lying about a service record, or at least the offer to begin a career in one.

Stick a fork in Dr. Carson, he is well-done.

[Leaning Right]

Sounds like he was encouraged to apply but didn't.

I think you've got it right. And to a young person, an encouragement could certainly be taken as an "offer".

I'm not a Carson fan, but I'm nevertheless disappointed by all the attacks Carson is taking for this, from all sides.

[grania]

He said he was offered a slot at West Point. That means he was both accepted by their qualifications and he had an appointment in hand. He repeated the lie in August 2015 so he can't claim immaturity when making the statement.

He did hedge what he said by stating he only applied to one school (how do we know that's true?) so by that second statement he negated the first one.

What it sounds like is Dr. Carson writes whatever narrative suits his purposes, and in this case the two narratives collided.

I guess it is appropriate to compare Dr. Carson's ethics with those of Bill Clinton.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

-— Sounds like he was encouraged to apply but didn’t -—

I think he said that he met Westmoreland (confirmed) who told him to apply, or made an offer (unconfirmed), however you want to phrase it.

I remember receiving a letter from West Point when I was graduating which I interpreted as an offer of a full scholarship, which isn’t exactly true, since everyone who goes doesn’t have to pay.

[scrabblehack]

Does a congressional appointment override that?
I’ve not known of anyone admitted to a military academy other than through congressional appointment (not that many), or maybe the appointment has to be made formally by a congressman or even the President?

A book called “Letters From The Presidents,” Franklin Roosevelt wrote to the future president in 1950-something if he would consider appointing a certain young man to West Point. I don’t recall the details of the case - but I am thinking it was a soldier killed in World War II who left behind a young son.

I’ll agree it would be unwise for a young man or young woman to accept appointment to any of the military academies if he or she didn’t pass the interviews.