Posted on 11/25/2015 6:39:10 AM PST by Kaslin
A little over a year ago, when Ben Carson was gearing up to run for president, I questioned in this space whether he was ready for what lay ahead. We now have our answer: No.
Carson had a great number of things going for him: his amazing life story, charm, professional accomplishments, eloquence and courage. I had only one major concern: "While he speaks eloquently and passionately about the importance of doing homework in his own life and for children everywhere, it's not obvious he's taken those lessons to heart when it comes to politics."
It's now obvious that he hasn't.
In the weeks before the terrorist attacks in Paris, Carson was already having a rough time. In a development that defied satire, Donald Trump was attacking Carson's character, which is a bit like Carrot Top ridiculing Jerry Seinfeld's sense of humor.
But it was smart politics. The rationale for Carson's candidacy is based largely on biography and character. Take those away and what's left?
Not too much, unfortunately. Oh sure, grading on a human level, there's still a great deal to admire in Carson. But we're talking presidential politics, not lifetime achievement awards.
Preparation matters.
In Miami, he was asked about the so-called wet-foot, dry-foot immigration policy for Cuban refugees. "You're going to have to explain to me exactly what you mean by that," he replied.
In a GOP debate, he said that the Chinese were involved in the Syrian civil war, alongside the Russians and the Iranians. His campaign had to awkwardly walk back the claim.
The New York Times even found two of his advisers to state on the record that Carson was struggling to get up to speed on foreign policy.
These and other flubs aren't necessarily disqualifying on their own. But after the terrorist attacks in Paris and Mali, not to mention the de facto declaration of martial law in Brussels, Carson's soft-spoken ad-libbing about foreign policy doesn't play nearly as well.
"I know a lot more than I knew," Carson said when asked on PBS about his foreign policy deficit. "A year from now, I will know a lot more than I know now."
That kind of answer doesn't cut it when Americans feel threatened. That's why he's been sliding in a number of polls since the Paris attacks.
In fairness, Trump's answers shouldn't cut it either. But Carson is admiringly honest about his shortcomings and admits when he gets things wrong, while Trump makes up for his shortcomings and ignorance with bluster, bullying and bombast. Sadly, that continues to work for him.
Also, Carson's problems extend beyond foreign policy. He places an inordinate amount of emphasis on platitudes and cliches, particularly about common sense. I like common sense as much as the next guy, and we need more of it in Washington. But common sense isn't a leather-bound book one takes down from the shelf to find the right solutions to every problem. Presidents who think otherwise are begging to be rolled by the permanent bureaucracy. Nobody would want their brain surgeon to rely on common sense when removing a tumor.
Of course, politics isn't brain surgery. But it does require a certain foundation that only experience and homework can provide. If you're waiting until you run for president to get up to speed, it is too late. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker learned that the hard way this year. He simply wasn't prepared to discuss policies outside his comfort zone.
Carson's has been an all-too-familiar tale in GOP presidential politics in recent years. Sarah Palin, Herman Cain, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (in 2008, not in 2012) -- all squandered opportunities by not being adequately prepared to leverage their popularity and potential.
The rarest commodity in politics is a genuinely charismatic personality that arouses passion in voters at a propitious political moment. Money can't buy that; just ask Mitt Romney. Doing your homework, meanwhile, is easy. I don't mean it doesn't require effort; it most certainly does. But there's no trick to it: Read books, talk to experts, think things through when you have the time and resources to do so.
If Carson had consulted common sense, he would have known that.
He still knows more than Obozo about foreign affairs.
Pray America wakes
Dear Jonah,
Bullshit.
Dr. Carson’s fifteen minutes are over.
He’s a great man with a great personal story.
Should not be running for POTUS IMHO.
The Carson Weakness in the policy arena has been recognize around these parts for quite some time. We have asked ourselves over and over: What is the attraction to Carson?
The answer has turned out to be, as many of us anticipate, that he is an honorable man and a nice guy. Unfortunately for Carson, that is simply not enough to qualify you for the Office of the President. He may not finish last but he is not going to finish first. The Carson Dream is over.
Carson knew he was going to run at least by 2013. The fact that he didn’t apply himself and become more knowledgeable on the issues tells me he was not serious about becoming President.
Is Johah a racist?
His answer that George Jefferson wrote the Constitution was the cincher for me.
I couldn’t help noticing your FR name. I was rescued by a beagle named Jethro two years ago.
Beagles are classy animals, everyone should have one.
He’d make a good HHS head. It is his field, stick to it. 0’care has to be dismantled the right way. And fixes so insurance companies can’t deny coverage to those with existing conditions.
FDA needs a top to bottom house cleaning to boot. To many dangerous drugs are being allowed on the market.
Yes, against Trump. According to him he is making up things. Actually, Johah needs to do his homework.
In Miami, he was asked about the so-called wet-foot, dry-foot immigration policy for Cuban refugees. "You're going to have to explain to me exactly what you mean by that," he replied
Heaven forbid that a candidate clarify a question.
We all know the correct strategy is to blather on about something, avoid the issue, make yourself the center of the story, embellish, call names and smile at the camera.
Yeah, even though he is a doctor, he should probably bone up on some things.
We love our beagle to pieces. He was kept in a pen with other beagles for the first year of his life. He kept digging out and coming 2 1/2 miles to our house. We became so attached to him that the guy who owned him gave him to us. He is still an outdoor dog, since we are both allergic, but he has his own heated and cooled cedar house with a big porch. He has a heated bed in both his house and in his tent bed on the front porch. He also likes the gazebo where his huge trunk of toys is kept.
He loves being free and he has the run of our farm and all the squirrels and rabbits a hound could ever chase. I don’t know how we ever did without him.
You forgot kiss the media’s behind.
It wasn't insurance companies which denied coverage, it was certain plans offered by those companies. It was no different than charging tobacco users higher premiums than non-tobacco users.
The simple way that it can be solved is by forcing people without pre-existing conditions to pay more to subsidize those with such conditions in much the same way tobacco users could enjoy the same rates as non-tobacco users by keeping such usage questions out of the rate table. I'm not sure that is the best way as pre-ObaMao care as several states had subsidy funds set aside for those who would be paying too much for pre-existing condition coverage.
We feel the same about beagles. I’m convinced that if God has a dog it’s a beagle!
Elitist bullcrap. Every President comes in with areas of expertise, and running the US requires hiring others who know the details, of finance, foreign affairs, military, commerce, transport, taxes, and so on. The main qualifications should be ideology and management skills. The least helpful expertise is prior government experience.
57 Days till Iowa?
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