Ben Carson Admits Fabricating West Point Scholarship

[Hissyspit]

Source: Politico

Ben Carson admits fabricating West Point scholarship

Carson's campaign on Friday admitted that a central point in his inspirational personal story was fabricated.

By KYLE CHENEY 11/06/15 11:29 AM EST Updated 11/06/15 11:34 AM EST

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.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/ben-carson-west-point-215598

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

1. OMG!

[wordpix]

164. also lied about his endowed chair at J.Hopkins/Mannatech relationship

Relationship with Mannatech

According to a CNN headline, Carson had an "extensive relationship" from 2004 to 2014 with Mannatech, Inc., a multi-level marketing company that produces dietary supplements made from substances such as aloe vera extract and larch-tree bark.[36][37][38] Carson gave four paid speeches at company events, but he denies having been paid by Mannatech to do anything else, and says he has been a "prolific speaker" who has spoken before many groups.[39]

On August 7, 2002, Carson underwent surgery for prostate cancer,[40] and in an interview in November of that year, he stated that the surgery had successfully removed all cancerous tissue and that he was completely cured of the disease.[41] However, in a 2004 speech at a Mannatech event, Carson credited the company's products for the disappearance of his prostate cancer symptoms.[36][37] Carson's relationship with Mannatech continued after the company paid $7 million in 2009 to settle a deceptive-marketing lawsuit in Texas over claims that its products could cure autism and cancer.[42][43][36] Carson's most recent paid speech for Mannatech was in 2013, for which he was paid $42,000; his image appeared on the corporation's website as recently as 2014,[36] and in the same year he praised their “glyconutrient” supplements in a PBS special that was subsequently featured on the site.[44]

Carson delivered the keynote address at a Mannatech distributor convention in 2011 during which he claimed that the company had donated funds to help him get a coveted endowed chair post at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Carson had stated “well three years ago I had an endowed chair bestowed upon me and uh, it requires $2.5 million to do an endowed chair and I’m proud to say that part of that $2.5 million came from Mannatech.” In October 2015, Carson’s campaign team claimed that, in fact, “there was no contribution from Mannatech to Johns Hopkins.” A campaign spokesman added: “It was a legitimate mistake on his part. Confusion. He had been doing some fundraising for the hospital and some other chairs about that time, and he simply got things mixed up.”[45]

When questioned about his relationship with the company at the October 28, 2015, CNBC GOP debate, Carson said, "That's easy to answer. I didn't have any involvement with [Mannatech]. Total propaganda. I did a couple speeches for them. I did speeches for other people - they were paid speeches. It is absolutely absurd to say I had any kind of relation with them. Do I take the product? Yes. I think it is a good product."[46]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Carson

[Fred Sanders]

2. WTF? Why is this man even mentioned in the same breath as "President".... Which goes for the

entire GOP "candidate" options...what a country......

[randys1]

27. Will not matter ONE IOTA to the ENTIRE rightwing.

[rdking647]

35. hes done

stock a fork in him

[Fred Sanders]

42. The religious kooks thinking the religious kooks voting for them in the GOP primaries will be

reflective of the votes in a General Election and non kooks will vote for them and their religious kookery is kooks.

The religious kooks will vote for anybody as kooky as them, does not matter if it is religious kookery or just general kookery as represented by Trump, a general purpose kook.

[RobinA]

103. My Reaction Exactly

Just dumb.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

154. No. Since he's "a Christian Man" it doesn't matter what they do. Lie, cheat, fabricate a story about

hiking the Appalachian Trail, sleep with prostitutes, even deliberately invade another country under false pretense...

It doesn't matter one bit. Carson will continue to gain in the polls.

Plus, the Rethug racists need to shield themselves from accusations of racism, so they embrace Carson because he'll say all the racist shit about Hispanics and especially blacks...and bigoted shit about Muslims and gay people.

Fucking disgraceful!!

[BigDemVoter]

156. Yep. I do believe you are correct. . . . .

[ToxMarz]

51. This is the blood in the water. The media, even MSM, has been circling afraid to challenge.

Now the gloves come off on his entire narrative, because it will attract eyeballs and can be justified. Everyone love a train wreck.

[A Simple Game]

82. Yet he still beats Hillary by 10 points in a national poll. n/t

[Fred Sanders]

110. ...a year from Election Day it is all entertainment in a theoretical polling matchup.

[A Simple Game]

158. So I should ignore all of the

"Don't vote for Bernie because Hillary is the only one that can win the general election" posts too? Even when polls show that Bernie does better in the general election than Hillary does because he gets votes from crossover and independent voters? I should throw that argument out the window?

I thought so.

[Fred Sanders]

159. Do what you like! Free country! Free calendars everywhere!

[A Simple Game]

166. Do what I like? How would I know what that is without you Fred? n/t

[Fred Sanders]

167. My children tell me the same thing!

[A Simple Game]

168. I hope it means more than when I say it. n/t

[Vinca]

3. This guy's got more fairy tales than Mother Goose. LOL.

[riversedge]

6. But the mother goose ones are oK--Carson's are sometimes vile depending on his

mood. whow. Another story taken down.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. Physician, heal thyself.

A full scholarship to West Point? What would the tuition be otherwise?

Physician, heal thyself

Physician, heal thyself ( Ἰ???έ, ???ά?????? ?????ό? ), sometimes quoted in the Latin form Cura te ipsum, is a proverb found in Luke 4:23.

23 Then he said, “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself’—meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’

[Botany]

49. If you are admitted to West Point you do not pay for college

Those who are selected to attend USMA receive a college education that is unparalleled
in the world with tuition, room and board, and expenses fully paid.

http://www.usma.edu/admissions/SitePages/Home.aspx

[mahatmakanejeeves]

56. Exactly. That was the flakiest part of the story,

though admittedly it was hard to find just one.

Only if you're expelled are you handed a bill for the expenses you've rung up.

Thanks for writing.

[Botany]

60. I had to check it out but I always thought if you admitted to a US military academy .....

..... you do not pay for college and it took me 30 seconds on google to check that out.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

76. The guy was a neurosurgeon. How could he imagine that he could get away with that?

Okay, that was a hypothetical question. But seriously, that's one of those things that everyone knows or can find out in a few seconds. It was such a bad confabulation.

Best wishes.

[wordpix]

122. soon we're likely to find out he didn't graduate from med school

The whole "great brain surgeon" thing just doesn't seem right unless maybe he was great, but had a brain injury himself and had to quit. So he decides being pres will suit him

[rocktivity]

129. Yep, better double check on that.

Last edited Fri Dec 25, 2015, 08:12 PM - Edit history (1)

I remember a true crime show where a man wanting to impersonate a doctor placed a want ad impersonating a hospital. He got a bunch of resumes -- instant medical degree!


rocktivity

[wordpix]

133. it's pretty damn hard to fake being a doc who separated conjoined twins

This is a great mystery

I am sure DU can get to the bottom of this!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

171. I have to say, I've never doubted his skills as a surgeon.

Clearly, though, surgical skills don't automatically into skills evident in other walks of life.

He should have stuck to surgery. Imagine if, upon retirement from Johns Hopkins, he had joined Médecins Sans Frontières.

Well, okay, that sounds French, so imagine instead that he joined Doctors Without Borders. He could be doing great humanitarian work. Instead, we ended up with Carson the candidate. What a waste.

[lostnfound]

149. BUT he slept at a Holiday Inn Express

IOKIYAR

[beac]

152. Guess his editor didn't use a fact checker either.

Not that one should have been needed for something so clearly untrue.

Amazing that Carson was never asked to take it out of the final draft.

[Timmy5835]

5. Folks......

Between this and the interview on CNN, we are now witnessing the beginning of the end of Ben Carson

[rtracey]

17. I don't buy it

Sorry, I'm not ready to say that. Look at the f'n idiots he is pursuing for votes. They will look and say that its the work of the devil, bring forth lies about their chosen one.... He will continue to speak softly, smirk and ride the wave of religious idiocy. What I do want to hear are other candidates and moderators ask the question and bring out the truth. Why do you think he is no longer associated with any hospital that I know of. He was a brilliant surgeon, that ANY teaching hospital or medical university would jump at the chance of having him on their teaching staff. No one supporting him asks these questions, same as Trump....no one digs and asks the questions.

[Schema Thing]

26. Nope. he's toast.

[red dog 1]

71. + 1

I agree.

The right-wing Christian fundamentalists & tea baggers who support this liar will continue to support him.....This story will probably not cost him any votes at all.

[louis-t]

20. I'm agreeing. As his religious beliefs become more

front and center and his lies and ignorance show themselves, he will falter. By Spring, he will be off in a corner muttering to himself.

[tomm2thumbs]

7. ouch - falsifying a military record?

sure sounds like it to me -- this will undoubtedly get him the military vote

love this detail in particular...

"according to records of Westmoreland’s schedule that were provided by the U.S. Army, the general did not visit Detroit around Memorial Day in 1969 or have dinner with Carson. In fact, the general’s records suggest he was in Washington that day and played tennis at 6:45 p.m."

[PSPS]

24. It's funny that fabricating military service didn't seem to hurt Bush at all.

[BillZBubb]

34. But he had the whole TNG staff in on the charade.

Right wing Texas wasn't going to tell the truth about him. It's a bushco fiefdom.

Carson is out there on his own without insiders willing to cover for him. He's a goner.

[tomm2thumbs]

57. True, and I think this is friendly-fire... they want him out now

If they waited, this would come out later in a general and it would do major damage and seal the deal against a GOP run for the White House

[hollysmom]

65. and those that weren't in on it made the mistake of flying on small planes

[arcane1]

8. Why why WHY do people tell such easily disproved lies?

[jeff47]

11. Narcissism.

They believe in their own greatness, and they believe they are so great that no one will bother to look into their stories.

[appalachiablue]

54. Narcissistic personality traits big time- self importance, grandiosity, lying.

[Hissyspit]

14. I seriously think he has some kind of personality disorder or mental illness.

[Human101948]

39. most surgeons rank high on the sociopath scale...

5. Surgeon
The field of surgery offers more than the power of life and death. It's a clinical world of high-pressure stakes, where decisions must be made without emotion. What job nurtures a bigger power complex, than one where you can cut people open on a daily basis, tinker with their frail internal mechanics, and aggrandize your status as a giver or taker of life?

http://mic.com/articles/44423/10-professions-that-attract-the-most-sociopaths

[dixiegrrrrl]

59. psychopath, I think, is what you mean.

the key difference between psycho and socio paths is organization.
Sociopaths tend to be impulsive, reactive, emotional roller coasters. ( altho if Carson's stories of his violence with weapons as a kid are true....)
they usually run afoul of the law repeatedly. Often are not very bright.
I have known a few, they often get diagnosed as Borderline Per. Disorder.

Psychopaths pass for human easily, are cool, calculating, can keep their emotions in check, and are often very intelligent.
They can fake it for years.

[wordpix]

127. it's the intelligence part I'm really struggling over

You've got to be very intelligent to be a neurosurgeon. When I hear Carson speak, he doesn't sound or appear intelligent. I'm confused.

[dixiegrrrrl]

146. yeah....almost like a savant. Really really good at one or 2 things.

I head his talk on PBS The Brain and it sounded like a completely different man.

[1StrongBlackMan]

29. My Dad (R.I.P.) told me, when I was a we lad ...

"If you're going to tell a lie ... make sure it is one that cannot be verified. That means, you, and only you, knows the truth."

[TBF]

9. This dude is something else. nt

[gerryatwork]

10. When someone needs to do a simple task...

...and the usual response is "well you don't have to be a brain surgeon or rocket scientist, we can now eliminate brain surgeon"

[boston bean]

160. Ted Kaczynski was accepted into NASA astronaut program.

We are done out of metaphors we can use to express a simple task.

grrrrr Carson and Kaczynski

[Iliyah]

12. Ideal presidential candidate for GOP's

Can I get a Amen.

[Octafish]

13. Good for Dr. Ben, as I don't think he'd last long at West Point...

[font size="6"][font color="blue"]A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal or tolerate those who do.[/font color][/font size]

Duty. Honor. Country.

Don't know how the guy on the left dared show his face there:

[KansDem]

31. What's he doing in that photo?!!

Looks like he's trying to play a tuba without a tuba.

[Submariner]

63. Exhaling after his pretzeldential chest bump

[cui bono]

67. I thought he was doing his Daffy Duck impression.

[IMG][/IMG]

[wordpix]

124. blowing hot air as usual -GWB is such a buffoon - unfortunatey, he was pres

Last edited Fri Nov 6, 2015, 07:31 PM - Edit history (1)

[red dog 1]

72. Who is that guy on the left?

[Octafish]

90. AWOL.

[red dog 1]

113. Bush 43?

[Octafish]

117. The very same.

He's had a problem respecting others' private space.



Perhaps it's a sign of sociopathy or psychopathy.



He does demonstrate empathy for those he knows, unlike the millions of people whose lives he ruined or ended.



However, he did clean his eye-glasses on a woman's sweater.



Swell guy, for a war criminal. A painter, I understand. Like Hitler.

[red dog 1]

169. Hitler!..Now there was a painter,

he could paint an entire apartment in one afternoon....two coats!

(From "The Producers&quot

[geek tragedy]

15. Stick. Fork. Done. nt

[SoapBox]

16. The Tea Freaks will love him for lying.

Or whatever...

[EEO]

18. Nothing he has said is the truth.

He is pretty batshit.

[Hissyspit]

19. Pretty much.

[wordpix]

134. you don't think the pyramids were used as granaries?

[gregcrawford]

21. Oh, dearie sakes alive and goodness gracious...

... a Republican LIED?!!? Heavens to Betsy, the Earth just wobbled on its axis! Or is the Earth flat, I forget. Let's ask Dr. Ben...

[2naSalit]

32. ...

[dem in texas]

22. Put Him in the Corner

He needs to go stand in the corner along with Brian Williams!

[7962]

140. NOBODY puts baby in a corner!

[patricia92243]

23. A General having dinner with an unknown 17 year old - sure (sarcasm) n/t

[Shrike47]

92. That part made sense, sort of. Apparently Carson was in ROTC and the top student in Detroit.

There was some sort of ROTC awards dinner. But still...

[rocktivity]

123. It was a $10 a plate banquet with 1500 other attendees

After which they chatted briefly -- not an intimate tete a tete in which his future was discussed.


rocktivity

[former9thward]

25. There are no "scholarships" full or otherwise to West Point.

If you are admitted everything is paid for.

[immoderate]

33. Right. The service academies have no "tuition."

--imm

[24601]

115. Not exactly accurate - I entered on July 3rd, 1972. We had to make a deposit of around $400 ($2285

in today's dollars) to cover initial uniform issue.

After that, uniforms, books and personal supplies were paid for - by us - from money was deducted from our pay, which was about $345 per month. Cadets are in the Regular Army, serving on Active Duty and are the lowest paid soldiers in the Army - unless you want to count prisoners who have forfeited all pay and allowances as part of their sentences.

What we cadets did not pay for was tuition, room, board, official travel. And while it technically was not a scholarship, the Letter of Appointment from the President stated that the appointment was the equivalent of a full scholarship. (Cadets are nominated by many sources - primarily Congress; however, the official appointment, like an officer's commission, comes from the President.)

The US Military Academy has an aggressive admissions office which is good at sizing up potential candidates. We have alumni admissions representatives in every state that help identify candidates and conduct outreach on behalf of admissions. It's entirely consistent with practice & believable that Carson would have had a very strong file that would have made his appointment virtually assured.

And desiring a career in medicine would not have been a show-stopper in any way. I have classmates who, soon after graduation, reported to Med School as their 1st assignment. The Army was eager to grow the Medical Corps. Med School applications were encouraged and everyone admitted was selected to attend in duty status - in other words, the Army paid for Med School while the Officer received full pay and allowances. Our original service commitment was that we owed 5 years at graduation. We owed an additional two years service for every year in grad school.

[former9thward]

120. Thanks for the additional information.

I was thinking of tuition and room and board.

[2naSalit]

28. This indicates

the situation brought on by Citizens United where the monied are able to pay for "contenders" in a political race for office such that these characters are the lubricant that deflects attention from other goings on. This is how we got a caribou barbie, she was "bought" because she fit the imagery, substance doesn't matter as long as they can keep the public eye focused in a particular direction... this Ben Carson is the latest version of that part of the program. It is actually all of the (R) candidates because it's always about the money, those who get paid to run can be as outrageous as they feel they need to to get the biggest bucks because whomever wins the prize, they are still owned by the $hareholders and will always be compelled to follow the script. When the teevee'd tire of one reality styled character, another will emerge for a time but it doesn't really matter which of them prevails, it's not about them, it's about their owners' desires which will be legislated into reality... the rest is entertainment.

If the voting public doesn't draw the curtain aside and recognize the peril they face, we are all going to be challenged for our very survival... and that is, after all, what I think is the actual plan.

[immoderate]

37. Republicans have no desire to govern. They need stand-ins while they liquidate.

--imm

[wordpix]

128. DUzy^^^^^^^^^ !!!!!!^^^^^

[KoKo]

87. ....!

[wordpix]

131. exactly what I think and now the "moderate" R's have no candidate

b/c they're all such clowns, liars, have no personality, are stupid, etc.

My SIL, who's R, says she's "beside herself" b/c she doesn't have a candidate she likes. She's one who likes Rs b.c they won't raise her tax bill, but she wants them to govern.

This is why Jebbie might win the nom, bc he "looks" like he can govern and he's been a gov of a big state, even though he's dumb as a rock. He will be the perfect patsy for the 1%, and he's a member of the 1% cabal, anyway.

[Snarkoleptic]

30. There is something seriously wrong with Carson!

This SHOULD end his book tour, I mean candidacy.

[Jim__]

36. Bye bye Benny.

At least, I hope so.

[procon]

38. He's mentally ill, there's just no other explanation. nt

[WestSeattle2]

40. I knew this dude ain't right in the head. He never was a

violent kid either, I'm betting. Quiet as a meek little church mouse. The clown made all this crap up to sell motivational BS.

Praise Gawd, indeed.

What a loser.

[wordpix]

137. my theory is he was violent, but got hit in the head w/a brick or rock

that came back at him. Ended up in the hosp., the docs saved his brain, Carson became a brain surgeon. Now the past brain injury is getting worse as Carson ages. OR, he was never a brain surgeon and never went to med school ----it's all a hoax. Either way, like I said, DU will uncover it...

[kairos12]

41. But, Benghazi.

[sarge43]

43. That "scholarship" should have thrown a red flag on the field

There's no such thing. An individual is nominated for admission usually by a congresscritter or senator, not by members of the armed forces. All they can do is offer a letter of recommendation. After meeting tough academic and physical requirements, about one in ten are admitted.

[lancer78]

104. He could receive

a nomination through his high schools ROTC program. I did. I also got nominated by Ike Skelton and Kit Bond (Missouri).

[24601]

147. There are multiple nomination sources. In addition to the President, Vice President and 535 Members

of Congress, there are also unlimited "automatic" nominations (just meet minimal standards) for daughters and sons of Medal of Honor Recipients. Honor Military Schools may nominate and the Secretary of the Army has effective control over a block of nominations reserved for soldiers attending the US Military Academy Preparatory School. Regardless of the nomination source, the Appointment Authority is the President. My Presidential Appointment Certificate [suitable for framing and presentation at HS graduation] states it is the equivalent of a full scholarship.

My "advocate" (the gentleman pushing me to apply) telling me the same things was a retired Major General from the class of November 1918. His class was famous because they graduated 1 Nov 1918 after only 2 years at the US Military Academy. They were preparing to head overseas when WWI ended. The class was ordered back to West Point to complete the year as Officer Students, since that had been commissioned at graduation.

Having attended & graduated, I'm aware of the terminology nuances. But I wasn't in 1972 during my recruitment when I (and my High School) also referred to my nomination and subsequent appointment as a full scholarship.

I'm lucky that, when I was graduating from High School, the military - including West Point - was in a popularity slump and the numbers of applications weren't what they are today.

[Grassy Knoll]

44. This Guy Has More Stories Than Trump Towers.

[Skittles]

108. STOP IT GRASSY KNOLL

YER KILLING ME

[TwilightGardener]

45. Toast. Of course, he wasn't going to be the nominee anyway, so it doesn't change much.

But that's a pretty big flameout--you could get some marshmallows and hershey bars and make s'mores by it.

[wordpix]

135. we just needed the details of his story to see how the flameout would happen

Now for the medical part...soon Ben will be dropping out of the race. My guess is next week.

[kath]

46. Whoa. the guy clearly has some significant mental health problems.

[packman]

47. Obviously this man subscribes to the Bill O'Really school of Reality

[Bluenorthwest]

48. It's hilarious how the most puffed up 'people of faith' often get proven to be such total liars.

This no good rat fink spouts off all of his judgmental outlandish dogma at LGBT while he himself is a corrupt, ambitious man of mendacity in service to greed.

[patsimp]

50. So Carson is just another Republican liar with a sense of entitlement.

I'm not surprised

[jalan48]

52. Ben is toast.

[BooScout]

53. That's the end of this GOP Frontrunner

The man is a psychopath.

[Jim__]

55. C'mon. You guys didn't check out Obama's story.

No fair checking up on my story.

[PatrynXX]

58. paging Brian Williams oh wait. in that case Brian actually misremembered

Paging NBC paging NBC

[Tom_Foolery]

61. Is this guy even a real doctor?

Has anyone delved deep into his credentials?

[wordpix]

125. he's supposed to have separated conjoined twins but I wouldn't let him

take out a splinter from my foot.

[Tom_Foolery]

144. Ain't that the truth...

Which he isn't too familiar with...apparently.

[Nitram]

62. Carason is turning out to be a full-blown sociopath.

Does he really have a medical degree?

[humbled_opinion]

64. Somehow they will call it

a racist media witch hunt and ask why Obama's school records weren't so closely scrutinized....

[Jarqui]

66. This guy has issues

The thing is, a bunch of them lied at the last debate and the media didn't make that much of a collective fuss.

[benld74]

68. Instead of offering SS for protection, the SS should fully investigate this loon

[Kip Humphrey]

69. Ben Carson - pathological liar.

[rocktivity]

70. Carson's Tuzla moment!

Last edited Thu Jul 30, 2020, 12:39 PM - Edit history (1)

No, this tops Tuzla -- it equates to lying about actually having served.

As the article points out, EVERYONE admitted to West Point gets a full scholarship. Being at a banquet with 1500 others does not equate to the two of them dining together. And while Westmoreland may very logically (and briefly) have recommended that Carson consider West Point, that hardly equates to sponsoring him.

He should have stuck to being a brilliant pediatric neurosurgeon. A mind IS a terrible thing to waste...


rocktivity

[shanti]

73. so he's a fecking liar, is he?

that didn't last long. keep digging, ben, your time is near.

[Herman4747]

74. This WON'T matter, Republicans enjoy being lied to...

...they're not normal people.

[bullwinkle428]

75. Hats off to Trump's oppo research team! Glad they were able to divert some

resources away from Hawaii and the search for the "real" birth certificate!

[Miles Archer]

77. This S.O.B. is as fake as they come

He's the Sarah Palin / Herman Cain of 2015...a bright, shiny object the GOP thought they could massage into something of value.

Think again.

[leftyladyfrommo]

78. He's out of touch with reality.

It just gets weirder and weirder.

[BumRushDaShow]

79. Looks like they finally decided to start clearing the field

for somebody...but no one really knows for who.

[rocktivity]

88. I'm still betting on Jeb making a miraculous comeback.

Why would the GOP powers that be back a candidate they wouldn't be able to control?


rocktivity

[BumRushDaShow]

105. That's what I was thinking too

I had walked by a tv yesterday and I think I heard someone (Mika maybe?) say it was 90 days until the Iowa Caucus so I figure they would try to get Jeb off of life support with some blue blood big biz corporate PAC ads, let Rubio stay in as a token nod to "diversity" (and to pick up some Florida Cuban votes), and maybe let Cruz do what Cruz does because he'll draw in all the loons and would keep them engaged in the process (but would eventually flame out like Gingrich and Santorum and 999 Caine did the last go-around).

Whoda thunk that Jeb had even more loose screws than Shrub?

[wordpix]

126. haha, even my R sis-in-law won't vote for !

She can't find a candidate she likes

[red dog 1]

80. K&R...Thanks for posting

Carson wants to become Liar in Chief!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

81. I guess this as good a time as any to come clean. You know where it says on my resume that

I went to MIT? Just in case you're confused, that's the Maytag Institute of Toploaders.

Hope this helps.

[greymattermom]

161. I went to MIT

but I'm not qualified to run for President.

[MisterP]

83. damn, I couldn't find the right "Far Side" cartoon, but this is some Shutter Island-level stuff here

[olddots]

84. combine Tony Robbins and Andy Kaufman with a store front preacher

Hey atleast he isn't a weight lifter steroid mobster .

[lark]

85. Why doesn't everyone get this?

He's a freaking liar, he does nothing but lie. Polifacts said he had .00% totally truthful statements during the debate. For him, it's really true, if his lips are moving, he's lying! And he's #2 in the klown kar (for now).

[Tarc]

86. Hilarious news, I just wish this broke a little later

Like a few weeks into the primary voting after Carson had possibly won a few states. maximum impact.

[flamingdem]

112. Dang, you're right

Was settling back with my popcorn for lots of Ben Carson sweating from the pukes too. Now they just have to knock out the Donald so that Koch boy Rubio can get the Nom.

[sahel]

89. I think politico will have to apologise for this one

That's not what his book says. He claims he was offered the possibility of a scholarship but did not pursue it.

[WestSeattle2]

91. I think they're spot on:

Carson repeated his West Point claim as recently as Aug. 13, when he fielded questions from supporters on Facebook.

"The next question is from Bill. He wanted to know if it was true that I was offered a slot at West Point after high school," Carson wrote. "Bill, that is true. I was the highest student ROTC member in Detroit and was thrilled to get an offer from West Point. But I knew medicine is what I wanted to do. So I applied to only one school. (it was all the money I had). I applied to Yale and thank God they accepted me. I often wonder what might have happened had they said no."

[sahel]

96. did you actually read what you posted?

It makes clear that he didn't apply to west point. He only applied to Yale.

He claims Westmoreland offered him a scholarship at a dinner. In fact all west point enrollees don't have to apply for tuition. It may have been confusion on his part.

Either way, politico will probably have to walk back their claims.

[WestSeattle2]

97. He was asked if it was true that WP had offered him a slot, and

he responded that it was true and that he was thrilled to receive an offer from WP.

Yeah, I read what he said. And he is a liar. I don't believe Politico will retract a word.

[sahel]

99. then it comes down to whether Westmoreland

could represent west point, presuming that he did in fact say to Carson that west point would accept him if he applied.

Either way it is perfectly clear that politico was incorrect in alleging that he applied to west point. He has made it clear that he did not.

[markpkessinger]

106. You need to reread the article linked in the OP

The headline reads: "Exclusive: Carson claimed West Point 'scholarship' but never applied."

Politico did NOT allege that he applied to West Point. What Politico was saying is that Carson had claimed to have been offered a full scholarships. Neither West Point, nor any other school, runs around offering full scholarships to people absent a formal offer of admission, which they did not extend.

[sahel]

109. you need to reread my post

No one is saying that Carson applied to WP, not even Carson. Politico is saying that the fact that he didn't apply is some sort of revelation. He has always been clear that he did not apply.

Someone has fed politico oppo and they have jumped on it like the giddy breathless schoolboys that they are without checking whether the allegations amount to anything much.

[WestSeattle2]

100. Politico need not apologize for anything -

In Carson’s 1990 autobiography, ‘Gifted Hands,’ he wrote: “Later I was offered a full scholarship to West Point.” He added that despite turning the offer down, “As overjoyed as I felt to be offered such a scholarship, I wasn’t really tempted.”

The man is a liar.

[sahel]

101. all positions at west point are full scholarships

effectively. No one there has to pay for any tuition.

He claims that Westmoreland said to him there was a position there if he wanted it. If that is true, then this attack on Carson won't stick.

[7962]

102. Carson's team now says they never admitted he made a false statement

http://dailycaller.com/2015/11/06/team-carson-politico-story-is-an-outright-lie/

The key here is that Politico is saying that Carson stated he was "accepted" into WP. There's a difference in being "offered" and being "accepted"
Either way, this should be interesting for a couple days

[BumRushDaShow]

107. Daily Caller?

That's a Tucker Carlson RW loon site!



Or better known like this -

[7962]

141. Well, they were first with the story, I cant help that.

Here's the Post catching up:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/11/06/ben-carsons-allies-defend-west-point-story-he-got-an-offer-did-not-apply/

[ThoughtCriminal]

151. In the Daily Caller Universe

having a General verbally tell you that "You should apply" is equivalent to "Getting an offer for full scholarship". In 1969, I'm sure lots of career officers made that suggestion to any young man who expressed any interest.

An Army General does not get to decide who gets into West Point. If the general WRITES a letter of recommendation, that probably helps a lot. Anybody think there's actually a written letter from Gen. Westmoreland?

I doubt West Point has EVER made an offer to anybody who did not apply.

[BumRushDaShow]

157. Trust me, I ain't takin' up for Politico

but I know the loon sites are always first on the bandwagon to take up for their own.

I think the big take away is that after months and months of bread and circuses, the so-called "media" is starting to "vet" the GOP crazies. IMHO, Trump would have been the easiest one to torpedo but they seem to like the entertainment value that he provides and they can help to string him along through a few months of the actual primaries to give their lazy asses something to talk about.

All of this is because a decision was made to combine what were once the "news" divisions within an outlet, with the "entertainment" divisions within the same outlet, and thus you have the type of disjointed, nonsensical reporting that the M$M has become a master at.

[jen63]

155. That's an even bigger lie then.

It implies that he actually applied. In order to be accepted, he would have had to apply and have gone through the entire complicated and lengthy admissions process. It's not like a regular college application and interview.

[PADemD]

93. I hope Dr. Carson is not another Ferdinand Waldo Demara

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Waldo_Demara

[Shrike47]

94. Limbaugh has put a great twist on this making Politico the liars.

He kept saying today that Politico claimed/implied/left the impression that Carson said he attended West Point and Carson didn't say that at all so Politico lied. But actually Limbaugh was lying in that Reublican way where they reframe your statement to one thing they can refute.

[Joe Nation]

114. Carson's Poll Number Will Simply Go Up

It's not Right-wing lies the GOP base cares about, they are so used to them, they can't tell the truth from lies pulled fresh out of someone's ass. Yet, they are so quick to accuse Democrats of lying until the accusations are proven baseless and then they go into overdrive repeating the false accusations forever after. I think this American herd needs a bit of culling.

[jonno99]

118. Unfortunately, that reasoning no longer holds...

Politico has changed their headline.

[wordpix]

136. next q: where did Carson attend med school/do his residency?

???? That's easy to fact-check, I would imagine.

[EndElectoral]

95. Wonder how vets and West Point grads will take this..the guy is toast

[SunSeeker]

98. Glad Carson is being exposed as the mentally deranged con man that he is. nt

[flamingdem]

111. Jesus told him to lie

It's "in the book"

[jonno99]

116. FYI: Politico has changed their headline. No longer claim Carson "admits fabricating"...nt

[7962]

142. Here's the campaign statement

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/11/06/ben-carsons-allies-defend-west-point-story-he-got-an-offer-did-not-apply/

[PersonNumber503602]

119. Such an odd little fella.

[rocktivity]

121. My nephew took part in a karate competition at West Point when he was about 12

Last edited Wed Aug 7, 2019, 02:02 PM - Edit history (1)

Can he claim that he graduated?


rocktivity

[wordpix]

139. that's funny! And I went there, too, to protest Cheney speaking

I graduated, too

[WestSeattle2]

143. LOL - in Carson's twisted mind, yes! Graduated with freakin' honors.

[niyad]

130. I would not even believe that he was a neurosurgeon, except that there actually seems

to be some sort of documentation of that.

[wordpix]

138. I am with you, niyad. 100%. Hard to fake being a brain surgeon

at some hosp. when you're not one. I don't know any of those details

[Beacool]

132. I thought that he stated that lying is a sin.

[wordpix]

145. he's about to find out why - there are consequences

[rocktivity]

148. The real tragedy is that the truth was impressive enough

Last edited Tue Jun 22, 2021, 11:55 AM - Edit history (5)

He was prominent enough in his high school ROTC program to have gotten invited to a banquet with Westmoreland as speaker, been formally introduced to him, and been informally encouraged to apply to West Point. But he decided to take a medical route instead of a military one. He felt he had to come up with something to TOP that???


rocktivity

[BlueStater]

150. I think, or at least I hope, that this is it for Benny.

He's not a politician and he's not a media figure like Trump. He's not used to receiving negative press and his thin skin isn't going to be able to take it.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

153. Imagine if Hillary or Obama did this shit?

[Vinca]

162. Now that left wing rag the "Wall Street Journal" is after him.

There's a story about his claim of heroism protecting white students during the Detroit riots in 1968 and being the subject of a Yale psychology test that awarded him $10 and got his picture taken for the Yale paper. Except, of course, no one else remembers it and there's no record at Yale. This guy has an entire fantasy life in his head.

[wordpix]

163. I guess that means he graduated from Yale, right?

[wordpix]

170. pathological liar but the weird thing is his medical background

is enough to make him an attractive candidate to some. These lies to embellish his story are just bizarre.