Ben Carson

{{silver}}[[File:Dr. Ben Carson in New Hampshire on August 13th, 2015 1 by Michael Vadon 17 (cropped).jpg|thumb|rght|168px|Carson meditating in New Hampshire, 2015.]]
{{uspolitics}}
{{Cquote|[[Donald Trump]], for all of his bluster, is at least authentically stupid… All these other guys are clown posers. Trump is the genuine article. And, God help me, I think I’d rather have him sitting in the Oval Office, getting stupidly out-maneuvered by the politicians under him, than bringing in a guy like Carson who is willing to shred every last bit of his intellectual credibility in order to lord over a citizenry he doesn’t seem to have much respect for.|||Drew Magary in 2015, before the nightmare came true and both of them entered the Executive Branch of government<ref>[http://www.gq.com/story/fuck-ben-carson "Fuck Ben Carson"] by Drew Magary (October 8, 2015) ''GQ''.</ref>}}

'''Dr. Benjamin Solomon [http://i.imgur.com/34tMWBc.jpg "These Hands"]<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/12/08/ben-carson-channels-biography-gifted-hands-in-new-iowa-ads/ Ben Carson channels biography ‘Gifted Hands’ in new Iowa ads] by Jose A. DelReal (December 8, 2015 at 11:33 a.m. EST) ''The Washington Post''.</ref> Carson, Sr.''' {{lived|1951}} was the self-admittedly unqualified<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/trailguide/la-na-trailguide-updates-after-ben-carson-declared-himself-unfit-1479836816-htmlstory.html Ben Carson made it clear that he was too inexperienced for a Cabinet job. Now Trump says he's considering Carson for one] by Evan Halper (Nov. 22, 2016, 9:59 a.m.) ''Los Angeles Times''.</ref> former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, a retired American pediatric neurosurgeon who was a [[2016 Republican Party presidential nomination|2016 presidential candidate]] and subsequently kissed [[Donald Trump|the ring of power]]. When he was a practicing physician, Carson invented techniques that had previously been thought impossible (such as being the first to separate twins conjoined at back of the head).<ref>[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022522319342795?via%3Dihub Separation of craniopagus Siamese twins using cardiopulmonary bypass and hypothermic circulatory arrest] by Duke E. Cameron et al. (1989) ''The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery'' 98(5/2):961-967. doi:10.1016/S0022-5223(19)34279-5.</ref> On the other hand, Candidate Carson had a [[Ultracrepidarianism|yen for incredibly stupid pronouncements]], some of which contradicted the science at the base of the medicine he practiced. He's retired as a physician. What the hell else is he going to do? Before he decided to run for President, he considered taking up organ lessons. Not human organs. The pipe organ.<ref>[http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2014/05/28/so-much-for-golf-and-organ-lessons-says-dr-ben-carson So Much For Golf and Organ Lessons, Says Dr. Ben Carson] by Nikki Schwab (5/28/14, 4:59 p.m.) ''U.S. News & World Report''.</ref>

Carson is a perfect example of how earned [[credentials]] do not necessarily imply the current use of scientific rigor or [[intellectual honesty]]. He certainly displays some [[Narcissistic personality disorder|narcissistic]] features and soft-spoken insanity; however, he's also caught up in that [[GOP]] [[Echo chamber|bubble]] where [[Anti-intellectualism|facts are irrelevant]], but [[faith]] and appeals to [[magical thinking]] define him as some kind of upstanding man of [[God]].<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ben-carson-has-a-picture-of-jesus-with-ben-carson-in-his-own-home-a6726051.html Ben Carson has picture of Jesus (with Ben Carson) hanging in his home] by Jeff Staufenberg (08 November 2015 19:21 GMT) ''Independent''.</ref>

Between Carson and Trump, it was simply amazing to watch these two in real-time.<ref>[http://www.salon.com/2015/05/11/ben_carson_should_embarrass_the_gop_how_the_tea_party_hero_is_making_a_complete_dunce_of_himself/ Ben Carson should embarrass the GOP: How the Tea Party hero is making a complete dunce of himself] by Simon Maloy (May 11, 2015 4:59PM EDT) ''Salon''.</ref> He eventually joined Trump's transition team as Vice Chairman. Carson was later offered the position of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (see: [[Nepotism#Spoils system|spoils system]]). Carson was an excellent pick because he fought for the right to discriminate against [[Tokenism|people who look like Carson]].<ref>[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/11/28/ben-carson-trump-s-hud-pick-once-called-fair-housing-communism.html Ben Carson, Trump’s HUD Pick, Once Called Fair Housing 'Communism': The retired neurosurgeon turned Trump adviser has little direct experience with fair-housing issues, but that didn't stop him from once likening the discrimination laws to communism] by Gideon Resnick (11.27.16 10:05 PM ET) ''The Daily Beast''.</ref>

==Where did they dig him up?==
{{Cquote|Brain surgeons, long burdened with the onerous reputation of being among the smartest people in the world, are expressing relief that the Republican Presidential candidate Ben Carson is shattering that [[stereotype]] once and for all.|||Andy Borowitz<ref>[http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/ben-carson-shattering-stereotype-about-brain-surgeons-being-smart Ben Carson Shattering Stereotype about Brain Surgeons Being Smart] by Andy Borowitz (September 21, 2015) ''The New Yorker''.</ref>}}

[[File:Ben Carson.jpg|thumb|right|Carson in 2007.]]

He is America's most famous brain surgeon, although whether he is the 'best' is debatable. Judging by the 8+ malpractice lawsuits filed against him,<ref>[https://www.thedailybeast.com/ben-carson-was-sued-for-malpractice-at-least-eight-times Ben Carson Was Sued for Malpractice at Least Eight Times: One woman, suffering from multiple sclerosis, claimed Carson failed to review her MRI before performing a risky neurosurgical procedure.] by Gideon Resnick (Published Nov. 04, 2015 1:00AM EST; Updated Apr. 13, 2017 6:17PM EDT) ''The Daily Beast''.</ref> though that number of lawsuits for a neurosurgeon with a 35-year career is not necessarily unusual.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/04/ben-carson-malpractice-claims-doctor-for-president Ben Carson's patients claim malpractice in star doctor's path to politics: As former neurosurgeon launches campaign for president on public persona of caring for children, multiple cases reveal private anguish and secret settlements] by Ryan Felton (4 May 2015 07.38 EDT) ''The Guardian''.</ref> Carson was okay with a few of his surgeries [[Cherrypicking|ending horribly wrong]] because he saw it as "God's will" and not any fault of his own.<ref>[https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2015/11/13/siamese-twin-separation-that-launched-ben-carson-fame-ended-poorly-for-twins/miZSU7XaINfDWFXWsfYLDO/story.html Ben Carson’s surgeries separated twins, didn’t always save them] by Tracey Jan (November 13, 2015) ''Boston Globe''.</ref><ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/23/us/politics/with-ben-carson-the-doctor-and-the-politician-can-vary-sharply.html With Ben Carson, the Doctor and the Politician Can Vary Sharply] by Pam Belluck & Steve Eder (Nov. 22, 2015) ''The New York Times''.</ref> So yeah, he had a few extraordinary successes to his name that most others didn't, but how much of that is genuinely superior skill and how much is just playing the odds in ways that most surgeons would deem unethical? Carson also did [[Fetal tissue research|research on fetal tissue]] and then about it.<ref>[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1612580/ Colloid Cysts of the Third Ventricle: Immunohistochemical Evidence for Nonneuroepithelial Differentiation] by Takashira Tsuchida, Relph H. Hruban, Benjamin S. Carson, & Peter C. Phillips (1992) ''Human Pathology'' 23:811–816. doi:10.1016/0046-8177(92)90352-4. "Human choroid plexus, ependyma, and nasal mucosa were obtained from two fetuses aborted at the ninth and 17th week of gestation."</ref><ref>[https://drjengunter.com/2015/08/12/ben-carson-did-research-on-17-week-fetal-tissue/ Ben Carson did research on 17 week fetal tissue] by Jen Gunter (August 12, 2015) ''Dr. Jen Gunter''.</ref> Almost as though [[Anti-abortion|his belief in the sanctity of the fetus]] is an utter sham.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/08/13/ben-carson-no-apologies-for-1992-fetal-tissue-research/ Ben Carson: No apologies for 1992 fetal tissue research] by David Weigel (August 13, 2015 at 10:46 a.m. EDT) ''The Washington Post''.</ref><ref>[https://drjengunter.com/2015/08/13/ben-carson-has-still-not-answered-the-right-questions-about-his-fetal-tissue-research/ Ben Carson has still not answered the right questions about his fetal tissue research] by Jen Gunter (August 13, 2015) ''Dr. Jen Gunter''.</ref>

From 2004 through 2013, Carson touted [[Quackery|quack]] treatments in the form of "glyconutrient" products manufactured by Mannatech, a [[multilevel marketing]] company. Mannatech claims that the [[Nutritional supplement|supplements]] can treat [[Panacea|everything]] "from [[cancer]] to multiple sclerosis and [[AIDS]]." Mannatech and its similar predecessor company have been the subject of (yet more) lawsuits.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160109010239/http://www.nationalreview.com/article/396193/ben-carsons-troubling-connection-jim-geraghty Ben Carson’s Troubling Connection: For ten years, he interacted with a medical-supplement maker accused of false advertising.] by Jim Geraghty (January 12, 2015 9:21 AM) ''National Review'' (archived from January 9, 2016).</ref>

He attracted the attention of the [[Republican Party]] after making a variety of [[wingnut]] statements at the 2013 [[National Prayer Breakfast]] hosted by [[Barack Obama|President Obama]]. Carson himself [[Concern troll|claimed no political affiliation]], commenting that "If I were part of [a political party], it [[Dunning-Kruger effect|would be called the Logic party]], and it would be dedicated to [[common sense|commonsense]] approaches we all should be able to see."<ref>[http://wayback.archive.org/web/20130217051918/http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/340769/dr-carson-s-prescription-john-fund Dr. Carson’s Prescription: The renowned doctor reacts to the furor over his National Prayer Breakfast speech.] by John Fund (February 15, 2013 4:00 A.M.) ''National Review'' (archived from February 17, 2013).</ref> In November 2014 to no one's surprise, he joined the Republican Party, hinting at the possibility of running for President in 2016.<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/meet-ben-carson-republican-throw-hat-2016-ring/story?id=26735300 Republican Ben Carson Hints He May Throw His Hat in the 2016 Ring: The famous pediatric neurosurgeon may be eyeing the presidency.] (November 7, 2014, 12:02 PM) ''ABC News''.</ref> On May 4, 2015 also to no one's surprise, Carson announced his candidacy for President.

==Amnesia==
{{cquote|Humans have big frontal lobes because we, alone, were created in the image of God, who also has a pretty big frontal lobe, you know?|||Carson in 2011<ref name=adventist>[https://web.archive.org/web/20151113154725/https://www.youtube.com/embed/YPqq6fr2CF4 Adventist News Network, Celebration of Creation, Nov-Dec 2011] ''YouTube'' (archived from November 13, 2015).</ref>{{rp|0:37}}}}

Carson is clearly averse to criticism, as evidenced by him and his supporters actually believing that all the recent revelations about his fictive past are nothing more than [[Liberal media|an intentional hit job by the libtard media bent on destroying him]]<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200715000000*/https://www.foxnews.com/politics/carson-says-west-point-story-others-about-his-past-are-bias-amount-to-witch-hunt Carson says West Point questions, others about his past are bias, amount to 'witch hunt'] (Published November 7, 2015; Last Update May 2, 2016) ''Associated Press'' revised by ''Fox News'' (archived from November 26, 2020).</ref> because, in his mind, he represents [[Argumentum ad populum|a direct threat to secular America.]]<ref>[https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/andrewkaczynski/ben-carson-on-secret-service-protection-im-in-great-danger-f#.rpxR0OVjZo Carson On Secret Service: "I'm In Great Danger" Because I Challenge "Secular Progressive Movement"] by Andrew Kaczynski (October 22, 2015 at 4:49 pm) ''Buzzfeed News''. "I’d prefer not to talk about security issues but I have recognized — and people have been telling me for many many months — that I’m in great danger because I challenge the secular progressive movement to the very core")</ref><ref>[http://www.businessinsider.com/john-kasich-donald-trump-ben-carson Ohio's governor just went on an epic rant against Donald Trump's and Ben Carson's 'crazy' policies] by Colin Campbell (Oct 27, 2015, 3:12 PM PDT) ''Business Insider''.</ref>

On May 10, 2015, Carson expressed his ignorance of the law on [[Fox News]] Sunday, the premier venue for [[Willful ignorance|such expressions]], saying that the [[Supreme Court]]'s power to review laws passed by Congress needs to be revisited.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20151110094241/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-ben-carson-constitution-20150510-story.html Ben Carson: U.S. should rethink Supreme Court review of laws] by Charles Babington (May 10, 2015) ''The Baltimore Sun'' (archived from November 10, 2015).</ref>

In August, Carson admitted to using [[Fetus|fetal]] tissue in his medical research during the 1990s, but then he apparently also claimed in a chain of [[Cognitive dissonance|contradictory ideas]] that fetal tissue was worthless for medicine, shouldn't be banned for research, and shouldn't be taken from [[abortion]]s at [[Planned Parenthood]].<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/08/13/ben-carsons-tortured-defense-of-his-research-with-fetal-tissue/ Ben Carson’s tortured defense of his fetal tissue research] by Amber Phillips (August 13 at 12:45 PM) ''The Washington Post''.</ref> 

He's been criticized for his violent past, immortalized in a book, ''Gifted Hands'' (later morphed into the "these hands" campaign slogan), about his exploits,<ref>''Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story'' by Ben Carson with Cecil Murphey (1990) Zondervan. 0310546508. Murphey's name got scrubbed from the cover of later editions.</ref> and therefore is unfit for the presidency. Charlatan or vigilante? He's sort of damned either way, really.<ref>[http://www.inquisitr.com/2521170/ben-carsons-violent-past-includes-stabbings-critics-say-gop-man-unfit-for-presidency/ Ben Carson’s Violent Past Includes Stabbings, Critics Say GOP Man Unfit For Presidency] by Patrick Frye (02:04 PST, Oct 26, 2015) ''Inquisitr''.</ref><ref>[http://www.politicususa.com/2015/11/05/ben-carson-thug-saved-bathroom.html Ben Carson Crashes And Burns As CNN Exposes His Violent Past As A Lie] by Sarah Jones (Nov 5<sup>th</sup>, 2015) ''PoliticusUSA''.</ref> Because this was the 2016 Republican primaries, where [[logic]] was forbidden, rather than his opponents using this to claim he shouldn't be President, the problem arose that his violent past might '''not''' be true.<ref name=glover>[http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/05/politics/ben-carson-2016-childhood-violence/ A tale of two Carsons] by Scott Glover & Maeve Reston (11:41 AM EST, Mon December 5, 2016) ''CNN''.</ref> Carson had claimed that in childhood, he had a "pathological temper", including with several violent episodes, including "punching a classmate in the face with his hand wrapped around a lock, leaving a bloody three-inch gash in the boy’s forehead; attempting to attack his own mother with a hammer following an argument over clothes; hurling a large rock at a boy, which broke the youth’s glasses and smashed his nose; and, finally, thrusting a knife at the belly of his friend with such force that the blade snapped when it luckily struck a belt buckle covered by the boy’s clothes."<ref name=glover/> [[CNN]] interviewed nine people, "friends, classmates and neighbors" who knew Carson in his childhood, and none of them had a recollection of his purported violent behavior.<ref name=glover/> His friends and classmates however described him as "quiet, bookish and nerdy".<ref name=glover/>

What commenced was a candidate desperately trying to convince the world he did, in fact, have a violent past while his opponents tried to prove he didn't. You'll recognize this as the exact opposite of how things are supposed to work.

So, why would Carson have lied about or at least played up a [[black brute]] [[stereotype]] of himself as a youth? The stereotype feeds into the overwhelmingly white and conservative GOP base that he later appealed to, and the tale of redemption appeals to [[evangelical Christians]] that also form that base&nbsp;—<ref>[https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ben-carsons-selfportrait_b_8590402 Ben Carson's Self-Portrait in the White Racial Frame: By adding thuggishness to his resume, Carson completes a white audience's bias-fueled expectation of him&nbsp— poor, black, and violent--the stereotype trifecta.] by Leonce Gaiter (Nov 19, 2015, 04:19 PM EST; Updated Nov 19, 2016) ''Huffpo''.</ref> and that readership (his publisher was Zondervan, a Christian publisher).

Other likely falsehoods in ''Gifted Hands'' were also uncovered by ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''.<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/ben-carsons-past-faces-deeper-questions-1446861864 Ben Carson’s Past Faces Deeper Questions: In harsh light of presidential politics, parts of his inspirational biography are questioned] by Reid J. Epstein (Nov. 6, 2015 9:04 p.m. ET) ''The Wall Street Journal''.</ref><ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/08/ben-carson-autobiography-questions Ben Carson condemns 'political hit job' amid questions over personal story: Republican presidential candidate asks interviewer to ‘show me somebody who is 100% accurate’ in accounts of decades-old events] by Oliver Laughland (8 Nov 2015 13.47 EST) ''The Guardian''.</ref>

==Religion==
[[File:Black Jesus with Ben Carson.jpg|thumb|rigth|165px|The portrait of [[Black Jesus]] with Carson that appears in Carson's home<ref name=guardian>[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/gallery/2015/nov/07/ben-carson-house-homage-to-himself-in-pictures Ben Carson's house: a homage to himself – in pictures] (7 Nov 2015 10.00 EST) ''The Guardian''.</ref>]]
{{cquote|In his books, [Carson] often mentions incidents in which God intervened in his life. When he neglected to study at Yale, God showed him the answers on a chemistry exam. When he fell asleep while driving home one night, God spared his life. When he used new surgical techniques on children's brains, God saved some of his patients. And when he was on a safari in Africa, God answered his prayer for plenty of photogenic wildlife. Now that he's running for president, Carson sounds as if he's counting on divine intervention to pull him through again.|||Los Angeles Times<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-1111-mcmanus-carson-biography-20151111-column.html Why Ben Carson has no business near the Oval Office] by Doyle McManus (Nov. 11, 2015 5 AM PT) ''Los Angeles Times''.</ref>}}

Carson is a [[Seventh-day Adventism|Seventh Day Adventist]]. Seventh-day Adventism ''necessitates'' a belief in [[young Earth creationism]]. Carson has said he made the decision to be [[Baptism|baptized]] in the church at the age of 8. He says that at the age of 14, he spent three hours in the bathroom reading the [[Bible]] and [[Prayer|praying]] after he tried to stab someone with a camping knife, though this is likely a fabrication as {{sl|Amnesia|noted above}}. Carson claims he left the bathroom a different person&nbsp;— with no temper.<ref>[http://www.bustle.com/articles/122713-what-is-ben-carsons-religion-the-seventh-day-adventist-church-believes-jesus-is-coming Ben Carson Belongs To Seventh-Day Adventist Church] by Joseph D. Lyons (November 10, 2015) ''Bustle''.</ref> But on the campaign trail, he turned a blind eye to his church's teaching of [[pacifism]] to appeal more to [[Neoconservatism|Republican hawks]].<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/geoffrey-nelsonblake/open-letter-to-ben-carson_b_8270374.html Open Letter to Ben Carson From Fellow Seventh-day Adventist: Stop the Islamophobia] by Geoffrey Nelson-Blake (Oct 9, 2015; updated Oct 9, 2016) ''HuffPo''.</ref>

He does not believe in the [[separation of church and state]]. He engages in the usual [[historical revisionism]] to justify his belief, saying that [[The United States as a Christian nation|the Constitution was never intended to mean]] "separation of God and state".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160208055156/https://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/bad-prescription-the-religious-right-s-favorite-doctor-misdiagnoses-the Bad Prescription: The Religious Right’s Favorite Doctor Misdiagnoses The State Of Religious Freedom In America] by Simon Brown (Feb 13, 2014) ''Americans United for Separation of Church and State''.</ref> Exactly how, as chief executive, he would go about putting God back into America is left unexplained, but we do have some hints.

Like many Christian fundamentalists, Carson does not believe in [[Darwinism|Darwinian evolution]], which he claims rests upon "incredible fairy tales."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150926191130/http://www.cnsnews.com/blog/michael-w-chapman/ben-carson-evolution-life-evolve-non-life-incredible-fairy-tales Ben Carson on Evolution: 'Life Evolve From Non-Life? Incredible Fairy Tales'] by Michael W. Chapman (May 13, 2015 | 7:29 PM EDT) ''CNSNews'' (archived from September 26, 2016).</ref> He believes that no [[Transitional fossil|transitional species]] have ever been discovered and considers the human brain (with its billions of neural connections) evidence for an [[Intelligent Design#Designed by whom?|Intelligent Designer]]. As for those who accept evolution as true, Carson inexplicably said, "Those who believe in evolution will have less guilt about being [[Cannibalism|cannibals]], should the situation arise."<ref name=adventist/>{{rp|3:30}} Never mind [[transubstantiation]].

Further proof that Carson leans heavily on [[scripture]] is his notion that [[religion]] is needed to test [[scientific theories]] because "maybe the science is just [[propaganda]]".<ref>[https://www.vox.com/explainers/2015/11/5/9677942/ben-carson-pyramids-grain Ben Carson's bizarre theory about the pyramids, explained] by German Lopez (Nov 5, 2015, 7:10pm EST) ''Vox''.</ref> At least one of Carson's policy positions is based on a literal interpretation of the [[Bible]]: his tax plan. He explains, "What we need to do is come up with something simple. And when I pick up my Bible, you know what I see? I see the fairest individual in the universe, God, and he's given us a system. It's called a [[tithe]]". Carson advocates a universal [[flat tax]] for citizens, where 10 percent of income is paid in taxes.<ref>[http://cuindependent.com/2015/10/26/what-you-need-to-know-about-ben-carsons-economic-plan/ What you need to know about Ben Carson’s economic plan] by Nicole McNulty (October 26, 2015) ''CU Independent''.</ref> Carson's Biblical tax plan has been roundly criticized since any flat tax rate would need to be well above 20 percent to keep the government running without [[Starve the beast|sweeping budget cuts]].

Although he was affiliated with no less than three of the United States' most prestigious universities from 1969 (when he commenced his undergraduate studies in [[psychology]] at Yale) to 2013 (when he retired from the faculty of Johns Hopkins), the attribution of an etching of {{bible|Proverbs|22|4}} in his living room is misspelled as "poverbs."<ref name=guardian/> One would be inclined to assess this as a rather conspicuous oversight when juxtaposed against his professed faith and election to the University of Michigan chapter of the selective Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society… [[credentialism|but to paraphrase Robert Towne, forget it, Jake]].

==Vanity campaign for President==
It's impossible to narrow the campaign down to a few single moments because the man was the complete package. His general sleepiness and aloofness. Getting lodged in the debate entry tunnel like a deer in headlights.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160309015042/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrgeslpPZnk Ben Carson Hilariously Blows GOP Debate Entrance] (2/6/16) ''ABC'' via ''YouTube'' (archived from March 9, 2016).</ref> Flying home to Florida for a change of clothes.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/01/ben-carsons-amazing-excuse-for-taking-a-break-from-the-campaign-trail-he-needs-fresh-clothes/ Ben Carson’s amazing excuse for taking a break from the campaign trail: He needs ‘fresh clothes’] by Callum Borchers (February 1, 2016 at 9:40 p.m. EST) ''The Washington Post''.</ref> His many great quotes ("[[Argument by gibberish|The fruit salad of their life is what I will look at.]]"<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/ben-carsons-fruit-salad-of-a-debate/2016/02/26/96f41384-dc46-11e5-8210-f0bd8de915f6_video.html Ben Carsons' Fruit Salad of a Debate] (February 25, 2016 | 8:59 PM PST) ''The Washington Post''.</ref> "Popeye's organization."<ref>[http://www.snopes.com/2015/10/09/ben-carson-popeyes/ Ben Carson's Popeye's Robbery Claim Questioned] by Kim LaCapria (Oct 9, 2015) ''Snopes''.</ref> "I was trying to kill somebody."<ref name=glover/> "Can somebody attack me, please?"<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JopjVdO8RNo Ben Carson To Opponents: 'Can Someone Attack Me Please?'] (Feb 25, 2016) ''TPM'' via ''YouTube''.</ref>) His laughing at his own jokes. His painting of himself with Black Klingon Jesus.<ref>[https://www.theroot.com/this-painting-of-ben-carson-and-jesus-in-ben-carsons-ho-1822521321 This Painting Of Ben Carson And Jesus in Ben Carson's Home Is The Blackest Thing I've Ever Seen This Week] by Damon Young (November 7, 2015) ''The Root''.</ref><ref>[http://www.rawstory.com/2015/11/bill-maher-mocks-portrait-in-ben-carsons-home-of-candidate-posing-with-jesus-in-a-bathrobe/ Bill Maher mocks portrait in Ben Carson’s home of candidate posing with ‘Jesus in a bathrobe’] by Tom Boggioni (11/21/15 at 08:55 ET) ''Raw Story''.</ref> Not to mention he has an [[ASMR]]-inducing voice, possibly putting himself to [[sleep]]. 

The fact that he ''still'' had so much support in the early part of the primaries, and was actually leading in [[Iowa]] for a while, must have been [[Poe's Law|astounding]] for a man who got into the whole thing to [[Wingnut welfare|sell books (available in paperback!) and raise his speaking fees.]]<ref>[http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/06/04/ben-carson-reports-big-earnings-from-books-speeches/ Ben Carson Reports Big Earnings From Books, Speeches] by Rebecca Ballhaus (6/4/15 12:06 am ET) ''The Wall Street Journal''.</ref>

===It ain't brain surgery===
{{Cquote|I believe it is a very good idea for physicians, scientists, engineers, and others trained to make decisions based on facts and empirical data to get involved in the political arena and help guide our country.|||Ben Carson, who would then go on to ignore that idea.<ref>''America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great'' by Ben Carson and Candy Carson (2012) Zondervan. ISBN 9780310330912.</ref>{{rp|34}}}}

Carson's candidacy reveals the extent to which an individual can demonstrate remarkable smarts and skill in one field while still being able to come across as an idiot. Some choice pronouncements that call Carson's basic intelligence into question include:

*The [[Affordable Care Act]] is the worst thing to happen to the country since [[slavery]].<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2013/10/11/ben-carson-obamacare-worst-thing-since-slavery/ Ben Carson: Obamacare worst thing ‘since slavery’] by Sean Sullivan (October 11, 2013 at 1:19 p.m. EDT) ''The Washington Post''.</ref> Why? Because his [[Red-baiting|misquote of Lenin]] says so.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131018030929/http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-md-marbella-lenin-20131012,0,644941.story Carson is quoting Lenin to criticize Obamacare. Is the reference bogus?] by Jean Marbella (4:09 p.m. EDT, October 12, 2013) ''The Baltimore Sun''. Answer: [[Betteridge's law|No]], he was repeating a misattribution of Lenin for the purposes of red-baiting.</ref>
*Also, like other [[fundie]] wingnuts, Carson [[Moral equivalence|compares abortion to slavery]]. How he came to that conclusion is anyone's guess.<ref>[https://www.yahoo.com/politics/ben-carson-would-love-to-see-roe-v-wade-154434805.html Ben Carson would ‘love’ to see Roe v. Wade overturned, compares abortion to slavery] by Dylan Stableford (October 25, 2015) ''Yahoo! News''.</ref>
*Astoundingly, he subsequently compared slaves to immigrants who "had a dream that one day their sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters, great grandsons, great granddaughters might pursue prosperity in this land [America]".<ref>[http://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/03/06/no-ben-carson-those-bottom-slave-ships-were-not-immigrants Ben Carson compares slaves to immigrants] by Lauren McCauley (Mar 06, 2017) ''Common Dreams''.</ref>
*Carson, quoted literally, lumps [[gays]], [[NAMBLA]] members, and [[bestiality]] practitioners as being against his idea of [[marriage]].<ref>[http://mediamatters.org/video/2013/03/27/ben-carson-on-fox-no-group-be-they-gays-nambla/193282 Ben Carson On Fox: "No Group, Be They Gays," NAMBLA, Or Bestiality Supporters, Gets To Change Definition Of Marriage] From the March 26 edition of Fox News' Hannity (03/27/13 12:45 PM EDT) ''Media Matters for America''.</ref> Carson was also irritated that any minority other than Blacks would demand civil rights.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/10/politics/carson-gay-rights-civil-rights/index.html "Carson: Gay rights aren't the same as civil rights"] by Alexandra Jaffe (June 11, 2015) ''CNN''.</ref>
*Dependence on government programs for the [[poor]] [[Welfare queen|creates dependence]]… like the food stamps Carson [[hypocrisy|admits his childhood family couldn't have done without]].<ref>[http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/03/26/186905/commentary-dr-ben-carsons-baffling.html Dr. Ben Carson's baffling vitriol against President Obama] by Barry Saunders (February 15, 2013) ''McClatchy DC''.</ref> [[Corporate welfare|Handouts for big business]], on the other hand, don't create dependence, of course.
*[[Abortion]] is a form of [[human sacrifice]].<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/ben-carson-says-legal-abortion-human-sacrifice Right Wing Watch: Ben Carson Says That Legal Abortion Is Human Sacrifice] by Kyle Mantyla (July 1, 2014 11:24 am) ''Right Wing Watch''.</ref> But somehow, the [[Crucifixion]] wasn't, somehow.
*Teaching about America's past mistakes, such as [[Japanese American internment]], will make students "sign up for [[ISIS]]".<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/01/ben-carson-ap-us-history_n_5910982.html Fox News' Ben Carson Thinks New AP U.S. History Course Will Make Students Join ISIS] by Rebecca Klein (Oct 1, 2014, 11:41 AM EDT; Updated Oct 4, 2014) ''HuffPo''.</ref> Don't worry; students totally won't mind being lied to about their country's history and act out in inappropriate ways like joining [[terrorist]] organizations.
*"Every signer of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]] had no elected office experience."<ref>"[https://herald-review.com/ben-carson-on-the-founding-fathers/image_8c3a0bd3-a56a-5ec9-a0f1-204f68ccf1a3.html Ben Carson on the Founding Fathers] (Dec 5, 2016) ''Herald&Review''.</ref> This is an absurd claim, as at least 28 of the 65 signers held office. Many others had experience in law or the military as well. He later backtracked and claimed "Every signer of the Declaration of Independence had no [[United States|federal]] elected office experience".<ref>"[https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/nov/08/ben-carson/ben-carson-said-no-one-who-signed-declaration-inde/ Ben Carson's Pants on Fire claim that no signer of the Declaration of Independence held office] by Louis Jacobson (November 8, 2015) ''Politifact''.</ref> This still doesn't make sense because [[Not even wrong|the Federal government didn't exist yet]]. 
*Carson blames police shootings (particularly the events that occurred in {{wpl|2014 Ferguson unrest|Ferguson, Missouri|)}} on [[feminism]].<ref>[http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2014/12/01/dr_ben_carson_blames_feminism_and_the_60s_for_police_shootings_of_unarmed.html No, Feminism Is Not the Cause of Police Shootings] by Amanda Marcotte (Dec 01, 20143:48 PM) ''Slate''.</ref><ref>[http://www.salon.com/2014/12/01/ben_carson_suggests_feminists_are_partly_responsible_for_ferguson/ Salon: Ben Carson suggests feminists are partly responsible for Ferguson] by Luke Brinker (December 1, 2014 5:37PM EST) ''Salon''.</ref><ref>[http://www.ebony.com/news-views/ben-carson-blames-ferguson-on-feminism-987#axzz3TAYBfX7j Ben Carson Blames Ferguson on… Feminism] by Michael Arceneaux (December 3, 2014) ''Ebony''.</ref> 
*Apparently, [[prison]] sex/[[rape]] between inmates is ''not'' about power/domination, but [[not even wrong|proves that being gay is a choice]].<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/04/politics/ben-carson-prisons-gay-choice/index.html Ben Carson apologizes for comments on gay people] by Eric Bradner & Alexandra Jaffe (March 5, 2015 ''CNN''.</ref> Eureka.
* [[America]] under Obama [[Nazi analogies|is like Nazi Germany]] because of [[not even wrong|political correctness]].<ref>[http://www.salon.com/2014/12/03/ben_carson_i_wont_back_down_from_nazi_germany_slavery_comparisons/ Ben Carson: I won't back down from Nazi Germany, slavery comparisons] by Luke Brinker (December 3, 2014 8:46PM EST) ''Salon''.</ref>
*Black Americans who vote Democratic don't think for themselves.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20201108131309/https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2015/04/04/dr-ben-carson-there-are-a-lot-of-african-americans-who-do-think-for-themselves/ Dr. Ben Carson: "There Are A Lot of African Americans Who Do Think for Themselves"] by Alex Swoyer (4 Apr 2015) ''Breitbart''. (archived from November 8, 2020).</ref> Only voting the way Carson does constitutes thinking for oneself, apparently.
*[[Muslims]] should not be President because it is "against the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]]". The [[irony]] that a black man uses the same logic as [[white supremacists]] talking about a black President was not lost on the media or Black [[Twitter]] commenters.<ref>[https://archive.is/XhMm7 Bigot. Straight up and down.] by Ta-Nehisi Coates @tanehisicoates (6:12 AM - 20 Sep 2015) ''Twitter'' (archived from 20 Sep 2015 14:41:38 UTC).</ref> On the ensuing uproar, he blamed "PC culture".<ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2015/sep/22/ben-carson-muslim-president-comments-video Ben Carson blames ‘PC culture’ for uproar over Muslim comments – video] (22 Sep 2015 14.14 EDT) ''Reuters'' via ''The Guardian''.</ref>
*The [[Holocaust]] could have been prevented if it wasn't for [[gun control]]. Because {{wpl|Warsaw Ghetto Uprising|Warsaw}} worked so well.<ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/oct/09/ben-carson-claims-jewish-people-might-have-stopped-holocaust-if-they-had-guns Ben Carson claims Jewish people might have stopped Holocaust if they had guns] by Claire Phipps (Fri 9 Oct 2015 00.40 EDT) ''The Guardian''.</ref> The reality was that there was strict gun control during the Weimar Republic, but when the Nazis came to power, they loosened regulations for party members, but banned gun ownership for Jews and others considered undesirable.<ref>{{wpa|Nazi gun control argument}}</ref>
*He wants to turn the federal Department of Education into an "investigatory body" that would monitor college campuses for "extreme political [[bias]]." If such "extreme" political bias was found, the school would lose its federal funding, he says, because it isn't right for public funding to "indoctrinate students in one direction." However, not realizing the obvious [[double standard]], he reassures Republicans that only ''liberal'' political bias would be regulated since "conservatism could never be considered an extreme ideology".<ref>[http://www.rawstory.com/2015/10/ben-carson-comforts-conservatives-i-will-only-police-liberal-speech-on-college-campuses/ Ben Carson comforts conservatives: I will only police liberal speech on college campuses] by Travis Gettys (October 23, 2015 2:30PM ET) ''Raw Story''.</ref><ref>[http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/carson-sketches-out-plan-monitoring-campus-speech Carson sketches out plan for monitoring campus speech] by Steve Benen (Oct. 26, 2015) ''MSNBC''.</ref> Especially in the aforementioned Nazi Germany.
*Believes that "[[Joseph was Imhotep|Joseph built the pyramids to store grain]]" (because he read about it [[Anonymous authority|on a blog]]).<ref>[http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ben-carson-pyramids Ben Carson: Archaeologists Are Wrong, The Pyramids Were Built To Store Grain] by Tierney Sneed (November 4, 2015 4:40 p.m.) ''TPM''.</ref>
*Rebuts criticism of his political inexperience by saying "Amateurs built [[Noah's Ark|the Ark]], professionals built the [[Titanic]]".<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/republicans/11964419/Ben-Carson-trolls-Twitter-Amateurs-built-the-Ark-professionals-built-the-Titanic.html Ben Carson trolls Twitter: Amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic] by Mark Molloy (29 October 2015 • 8:40pm) ''The Telegraph''.</ref>
*Says, "We'd be [[Cuba]] without [[Fox News]]".<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2015/11/06/ben-carson-fox-news-cuba-intv-newday.cnn Ben Carson: "We'd be Cuba without Fox News"] (Speech from 2014, reported in 2015) ''CNN''.</ref>
*Is terrified that Muslims want to make ''GoldenEye'' (an [[electromagnetic pulse]] space-based weapon that appears on the James Bond {{wpl|GoldenEye|''GoldenEye''}} film) a reality.<ref> [http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/14/10773594/ben-carson-EMP-internet-comments 'Did Ben Carson just watch GoldenEye?] by T.C. Sottek (Jan 14, 2016, 7:14 PM PST) ''The Verge''.</ref>
*In an interview, Ben Carson claimed Barack Obama was raised white, while Carson said he was raised in extreme poverty. Hence why he wants to end welfare laws to end dependency. Obama, supposedly, is then not representative of [[African Americans]]. Carson also said he did not encounter racism in the Republican Party, but he did sense it on the left, because [[Persecution complex|"you're black, you have to think a certain way, and if you don't think that way, you're Uncle Tom…"]]. When questioned on his stance that Muslims cannot be President, he defends his position by saying [[Syria]]ns do not respect the Constitution; when asked what if someone went and told him the same thing, Ben Carson said it has [[Moving the goalposts|nothing to do with ethnicity]].<ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2016/feb/23/us-election-nevada-caucus-trump-rubio-cruz-sanders-clinton-live?page=with:block-56cc7887e4b00221da78b466#block-56cc7887e4b00221da78b466 The 2016 campaign, minute-by-minute US elections 2016: Carson: 'Obama was raised white'] by Amber Jamieson & Tom McCarthy (23 Feb 201611.55 EST) ''The Guardian''.</ref> [[Not even wrong| There are so many things wrong with this]] one wonders if all he did was [[Hanlon's razor|get things backward]].

===Rise and fall===
After months of relative obscurity among lower-ranked Republican presidential contenders, Carson was unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight in late October 2015 when [[Iowa]] polls briefly showed Carson outdistancing front runner Trump by a slight margin. The most often asked question among [[pundit]]s was ''"why?"'', although most political analysts attributed Carson's rise to conservative Christian voters who saw the Bible-quoting candidate as their (literal) salvation. 

However, the gentle but weird Carson&nbsp; prone to spouting [[conspiracy theories]], [[anti-science]] gaffes, and [[Argument by gibberish|linguistic puzzlers]] did not do well in the glare of sudden media attention. Carson's political stock started its decline on November 13, 2015, when voters began seeking someone who could keep them safe from terrorism in the wake of the {{wpl|November 2015 Paris attacks||.}} Within a few days, a ''[[New York Times]]'' article revealed the true extent of the problem:<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/18/us/politics/ben-carson-is-struggling-to-grasp-foreign-policy-advisers-say.html Ben Carson Is Struggling to Grasp Foreign Policy, Advisers Say] by Trip Gabriel (Nov. 17, 2015) ''The New York Times''.</ref>
{{cquote|“Nobody has been able to sit down with him and have him get one iota of intelligent information about the Middle East,” said Duane R. Clarridge, a top adviser to Mr. Carson on terrorism and national security. He also said Mr. Carson needed weekly conference calls briefing him on foreign policy so “we can make him smart”.}}

By the end of December, the fickle religious voters' affections had swung to [[Ted Cruz]], and Carson had dropped from first place to second, then third. In February 2016, he'd slipped to fourth place, with the inevitable exodus of campaign staffers and advisors quickly following.

After a dismal performance on Super Tuesday, Carson more or less ended his bid for the Republican Presidential nomination on March 2, saying that he "saw no path forward" and would not bother to attend the next scheduled Republican debate. Carson's characteristic lack of clarity prompted ''The New York Times'' to observe, "By not declaring definitively that he is suspending or ending his campaign, he can continue to raise money."<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/03/us/politics/ben-carson.html Ben Carson, Seeing No ‘Path Forward,’ Signals End to Candidacy] by Trip Gabriel (March 2, 2016) ''The New York Times''.</ref> He officially ended his campaign on March 4, 2016, saying he intended to chair a group "focused on getting out the Christian vote in November."<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/04/politics/ben-carson-new-role-my-faith-votes-cpac/index.html Ben Carson ends campaign, will lead Christian voter group] by Tal Kopan (March 4, 2016) ''CNN''.</ref>

On March 11, 2016, Carson announced he was endorsing Trump for President. Trump promised that "I'm going to have Ben very involved with education, something that's an expertise of his."<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/03/10/ben-carson-plans-to-endorse-trump/ Ben Carson backs Trump, saying combative billionaire has ‘cerebral’ side] by Robert Costa & Brian Murphy (March 11, 2016 at 9:50 a.m. EST) ''The Washington Post''.</ref> Carson's failed presidential candidacy seemed to have little effect on his habit of issuing a steady stream of bizarre opinions and oddball pronouncements on just about everything.<ref>[http://www.salon.com/2016/03/25/wait_did_ben_carson_really_mean_this_in_criticizing_obama_bemoans_that_were_not_willing_to_declare_war_on_islam "Carson targeted President Obama again Thursday night, this time for not “declaring war on Islam.”: Carson's own advisers previously admitted he has no clue about foreign policy — he might just be clueless period] by Antoaneta Roussi (March 25, 2016 4:43PM EDT) ''Salon''.</ref>

==He has risen==
The moment a [[Organized crime|mobbed-up]] [[Donald Trump|real estate developer]]<ref>[https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/08/donald-trump-rico-indictment-georgia-mafia-ties/ Donald Trump, Mob Boss—Then and Now] by David Corn (August 17, 2023) ''Mother Jones''.</ref> nominates Carson as {{wpl|United States Department of Housing and Urban Development|Secretary of Housing and Urban Development|,}} you know he isn't picking anyone for their skills. (According to Carson, it's because he owned a house in an urban area.)<ref>[http://www.politico.com/blogs/donald-trump-administration/2016/11/ben-carson-cabinet-hud-trump-231772 "Carson says he's been offered HUD secretary job"] by Brent Griffiths (11/22/16 05:22 PM EST) ''Politico''.</ref> Carson himself admitted that he is not qualified for a cabinet post in the Trump administration; he was supposedly offered and declined Secretary of Education, Veteran's Affairs, and Health & Human Services&nbsp;— and two of those positions are related to the health care field — ''his'' field.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20161123134427/http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/11/ben_carson_trump_cabinet.html Wannabe president Ben Carson says he isn't qualified to serve in Trump's cabinet] by Jarvis DeBerry (November 16, 2016 at 1:05 PM) ''New Orleans Times-Picayune'' (archived from November 23, 2016).</ref> So, it makes perfect sense to keep trying to put Carson into [[Ultracrepidarianism|a different role]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170202043926/https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/801110690387857408 I am seriously considering Dr. Ben Carson as the head of HUD. I've gotten to know him well--he's a greatly talented person who loves people!] by Donald Trump (9:10 - 22. 11. 2016) ''Twitter'' (archived from February 2, 2017).</ref>

====Single-handledly knocking out 1/40 of US debt!====
An audit of the HUD found $500b in irregularities. Ultimately, this did not mean that they found $500b in misplaced dollars, just that someone filled out paperwork wrong. The audit found only $40m in misplaced dollars. Fox took this news and credited it to Ben Carson, neither understanding what the story meant nor that the audit was completed before Ben Carson was appointed secretary of the HUD. The usual snowball trash fire.<ref>[http://www.snopes.com/carson-hud-accounting-errors/ Did Ben Carson Discover $500 Billion in Accounting Errors at HUD?] by Bethania Palma (Apr 7, 2017) ''Snopes''.</ref>

====Nepotism====
{{main|Nepotism}}
The HUD Inspector General's office warned Carson that he appeared to be using his public office for his family's private gain. Specifically, he went on a "listening tour" in Baltimore in 2017, where he allowed his son, Ben Jr., who is the president of a [[Maryland]] construction company, to plan the event. HUD records indicate that Carson allowed his son top-level access to the department and other cabinet-level officials. HUD records also suggest that Carson Jr. directly recommended companies to the department. Department officials recommended that Carson leave his son out of the tour for the appearance of propriety; however, he overruled them.<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/02/politics/ben-carson-family-hud/index.html Emails show Carson family fingerprints at HUD despite warnings] by Juana Summers et al. (12:44 PM EST, Mon February 5, 2018) ''CNN''.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Clarence Thomas]]
*[[Herman Cain]]
*[[Argument from authority]]
*[[Ultracrepidarian]]

==External links==
* [https://twitter.com/ReneMiamiHerald/status/852136723752648704 Ben Carson is stuck in an elevator] — Maybe he was using it to store grain.
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0slwsUvIkFk He's Ben Carson and he approved '''THIS''' message!] — This one goes out to all those young, urban voters...in Iowa and New Hampshire.

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

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