Rush is wrong and is just as bad as Politico in his defense. Politico in no way implied or suggested that Carson went to West Point. The simple fact is that Carson at the least embellished and probably outright peddled a false story for years. The nomination process to West Point is long and tedious. The Army does not throw ‘scholarships’ around just because. I’ve read the paragraph in his book as well as his Facebook post to a supporter’s question on August 15th and Ben continues with the falsehood that he received a scholarship to West Point. He never did apply and none of the service academies give scholarships. So he lied. You can defend it however you want and blame Politico however, but the nomination process is cut and dried and has been the way it has been since 1802. Carson lied and Rush saying otherwise just shows that conservatives cannot always trust our own even if it’s Rush.
I was surprised at Rush’s defence today.
Cite his exact words where he stated that "he received a scholarship to west point"........
Show us where he claims he did? Please????????
Did you attend a service academy? If you had, you would know there are actually quite a few students that are recruited.
Ben Carson was recruited to West Point. No lie. He says right away that he did not pursue it.
Politico and others here of FR are trying to make a big deal over the word “scholarship.” As everyone knows, if you get an appointment, you will likely be accepted, and that is a full-ride. Period.
Anyone who is recruited by a service academy has an excellent chance at getting an appointment.
“The nomination process to West Point is long and tedious.”
Been there, done that.
Throughout my time in the army, somebody would occasionally approach me and say ‘my brother in law could have gone to West Point but decided not to go.’ I would brush it off. This guy’s brother in law obviously didn’t know all the steps it took to get in...but why did he think he ‘could have gone’? My guess would be that a recruiter told him he could get in (just like the recruiter I dealt with).
So here’s Carson, a top cadet in the entire city of Detroit, and his ROTC chain of command is telling him he could get in to West Point practically automatically. I can see how he would believe that. And his use of the term scholarship vindicates him in my mind - it confirms that he was unfamiliar with the process, and if told he could get in, he probably believed it.
Did he embellish? I’d say that adult Carson still let himself believe the statements that flattered a teen Carson, perhaps willingly.
But to me its not even about Carson, its about the media double standard. Barry O stood on a debate stage on live tv and stated that he didn’t know Bill Ayers...when there are photos of them together in Ayers’ house and records of their serving on the same board together. And not a whisper from the media. I’m not going to get too excited about Carson’s exaggerations, and let the left form us all into circular firing squads...again. This story is like water off a duck’s back to me - and my guy is Ted Cruz.