Exclusive: Carson claimed West Point 'scholarship' but never applied

originally posted by: MotherMayEye
a reply to: Gryphon66

Personally, I think it's a partisan issue, in general. Some of the comments made about Herman Cain were reprehensible, too. Republicans and democrats can be vicious when it comes to hating one another -- there's really no depth they won't sink to.

Yes, certainly.

Politics engages innate human xenophobia almost as much as religion does.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: Aleister

He's been open and honest about his childhood since day one. Those claims were made by him, on his own volition, rather than being an attempt to smear his character. He was a kid and he has turned his life around. Those stories will have zero impact on his ability to be elected POTUS, at least among Conservative voters.

Or he's been lying about his childhood since day one?

CNN - A Tale of Two Carsons

In his 1990 autobiography, "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story," Carson describes those acts as flowing from an uncontrollable "pathological temper." The violent episodes he has detailed in his book, in public statements and in interviews, include 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.

"I was trying to kill somebody," Carson said, describing the incident -- which he has said occurred at age 14 in ninth grade -- during a September forum at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco.

But nine friends, classmates and neighbors who grew up with Carson told CNN they have no memory of the anger or violence the candidate has described.

Dun dun dun....

Those stories will have zero impact on his ability to be elected POTUS, at least among Conservative voters.

Agreed. He'll blame the "unfairness" of the "liberal media" because let's face it — he'll get a pass — because while conservatives are fond of big talk about personal responsibility when it comes to everyone else, among their own — eh, not so much.

originally posted by: Aleister
a reply to: burdman30ott6

Racism??? Where did you get racism out of my post? It's a joke about a person who said he tried to stab someone as a teenager and missed, and then became a surgeon. In this instance racism is in the eye of the beholder, and not the way I look at it.

See? That's the dishonesty in the national conversation about race issues thanks to partisans. Many people don't seem to care how someone intends a comment because they are just out to exploit racism and make themselves feel superior, enlightened, and tolerant. The conversation has been stunted and people are resentful. That's what I see anyway.

originally posted by: Gryphon66

originally posted by: MotherMayEye
a reply to: Gryphon66

Personally, I think it's a partisan issue, in general. Some of the comments made about Herman Cain were reprehensible, too. Republicans and democrats can be vicious when it comes to hating one another -- there's really no depth they won't sink to.

Yes, certainly.

Politics engages innate human xenophobia almost as much as religion does.

originally posted by: Gryphon66
Who has ever heard of calling it racism when an African American was being abused politically?

(I'm being facetious; I only have three words - Barack Hussein Obama.)

While you may disagree with me on the point, I think you'll understand where my stance comes from if you realize that I fully believe the statement I've made multiple times related to how the media has often be much harsher on African American GOP candidates, attempting to magnify issues that shouldn't even be issues, while sugar coating serious concerns around people like Obama, Sharpton, and Jesse Jackson. The only rationale for this which I can figure is that the Republican candidates of color do not toe the political line expected of them and, ultimate, make frequent media claims of "GOP intolerance" look foolish.

Believing the Earth was created in 6 days or making a misinterpretable statement about West Point is not in the same league as talking Tawana Brawley into filing false rape and abuse charges on a police officer or lying about the final days of your own mother to garner sympathetic support for a wide sweeping national healthcare reform plan.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

I would agree with you 110% that there is repressed, subconscious if not coded racism in all political media.

I do disagree with you that media (because media includes the right-wing media) has been protective of Democratic Black leaders.

I don't care what color a Republican is. Actually, I would find actual Republicans (aka pre-Reagan) entirely refreshing.

No one has compared what you're trying to compare in your last paragraph, and your phrasing, bordering on the dishonest, at least in my opinion, is very disappointing, but it actually proves your point about coded racism.

a reply to: theantediluvian

It was SW Detroit in the 60s... do you really, REALLY believe an angry young black man who has a hot temper and was violent is going to stand out? It's not like he attended a private upscale accademy. He was raised by a single mom working multiple jobs... in Detroit... in the middle of America's most inner city turbulent times...

I can't name more than one or two kids I went to school with and it was less than half as long ago and in a small town, meaning they were the same kids I graduated with. It is disingenuous to portray the fact 9 media chosen interviewees can't recall specifics of stories that didn't even involve them from 50 years ago as an indication of falsehoods.

a reply to: Gryphon66

The media makes that comparison by failing to bring those actual deceptions to the table when Sharpton, Jackson, or Obama were running while climbing out of the woodwork to lampoon Carson for his comparatively minor inconsistencies.

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: Gryphon66

The media makes that comparison by failing to bring those actual deceptions to the table when Sharpton, Jackson, or Obama were running while climbing out of the woodwork to lampoon Carson for his comparatively minor inconsistencies.

The right-wing media makes up for anything the supposed left-wing media misses. Can you deny that?

Fox News, Rush, Hannity, Beck, Breitbart, etc. etc. are you really saying that these are not media?

Beyond that, but off topic, there are plenty of examples of mainstream media going after Sharpton, Jackson and Obama.

I am content to disagree.

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
a reply to: burdman30ott6

Agreed...tv is a dying breed for news. Newspapers are all but finished!

The economic model of newspapers is all that's dying. What they produce is still under high demand. A vast majority of the links on this site are from major news outlets.

This thread is one of the rare instances when some actual important reporting was done by an online entity.

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
Something isn't right about all of this. I can't believe the Democrats and liberal-media-attack dogs are somehow finding all of this just now on their own. Something smells...
It's almost like he's being totally scuttled as quickly and loudly as possible.

I'm very cautious about subscribing to conspiracy theories anymore but when I read the interview with him several days ago where he seemed to be advocating going back on the gold standard my first thought was that his campaign would quickly be toast.

Wait a minute, I just want to make sure I'm clear on something...

If an African American runs for office as a Republican, no one is allowed to vet them, question their past decisions, question inconsistencies with in their past, or look into their abilities to be a strong and capable leader?

So it's OK to do this to white candidates, but if its done to an African American Republican candidate it's somehow racism?

That seems racist to me right there. To me it sounds like a desperate deflection tactic, combined with race-baiting in order to avoid answering uncomfortable questions -- questions that make one side "loose points".

If I recall correctly, Obama has been one of the most contentious presidents we've ever had -- people STILL harp on his "57 states" remark to this day. That was a gaff made by a tired and exhausted man, one time -- and he never defended it at a later point in time. Yet, the conservatives still went on and on with that one.

EDIT: And to thing of it, its the conservatives that are bringing up the race issue in the first place. If this was Trump or any "white'" candidate this wouldn't be seen as racist -- rather some other form of bigotry would be used as an excuse. Let's see...wealth-shaming? Christian-bashing? I suppose when you can't win an argument or stand from a position of strength, the victim card in all its forms comes out.

a reply to: Stormdancer777

I've agreed before, never verbatim.

originally posted by: Gryphon66

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: Gryphon66

I'm pointing out that there's a clear track record of the media and the more vocal left assailing the character of African Americans who dare run on a Conservative ticket. THAT is absolutely racism. The only way it could be any more racist is if we traveled back to the 60s and 70s when liberals called black Republicans "race traitors" and "Uncle Toms."

Can you give an example? I've honestly never heard that.

(I was 4 or 5 at the time.)

Clarence Thomas

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Would mentioning cognitive dissonance be redundant?

What was the old phrase "being of two minds on the subject"?

If I were unkind I might talk about gooses and ganders.

originally posted by: smirkley

originally posted by: Gryphon66

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: Gryphon66

I'm pointing out that there's a clear track record of the media and the more vocal left assailing the character of African Americans who dare run on a Conservative ticket. THAT is absolutely racism. The only way it could be any more racist is if we traveled back to the 60s and 70s when liberals called black Republicans "race traitors" and "Uncle Toms."

Can you give an example? I've honestly never heard that.

(I was 4 or 5 at the time.)

Clarence Thomas

Example with an actual quote or reference?

originally posted by: Gryphon66
The right-wing media makes up for anything the supposed left-wing media misses. Can you deny that?

I have to admit, it really bothered me that no news outlet fairly covered Larry Sinclair's arrest -- not even FOX. There were a few slanted articles mentioning his arrest, but they did not cover the entire story: Larry Sinclair was arrested on a warrant issued by Beau Biden's office just a few weeks before Biden was chosen as Obama's running mate AND the charges were later dropped. Larry spent time in jail, he was denied prescribed medication for a medical condition, and someone contacted Social Security to see that his disability benefits were cut off. He was made a political prisoner.

Meanwhile, the media endlessly covered the Herman Cain sexual harassment scandal until Cain was driven out.

I don't think we can count on left & right wing media to balance out.

According to media standards, I've applied to, been accepted by and gone to West Point too. Why? Because a college recruiter from there called me and said based on my athletic performance, academic performance and test scores (ACT, SAT), if I wanted to apply, they would help try to make sure I got accepted and were pretty sure it would happen.

This is pretty much what Carson claimed, minus the athletic bit, add high ROTC performance.

What was made up by Politico was made up. Period.

a reply to: MotherMayEye

What we can count on is for politicians to be politicians, for the media to lie about it, and for us here to argue incessantly.

Can you objectively state that the various right-wing media have not misrepresented their opponents and coddled their "friends"?

I cannot.

originally posted by: Gryphon66
a reply to: MotherMayEye

What we can count on is for politicians to be politicians, for the media to lie about it, and for us here to argue incessantly.

Can you objectively state that the various right-wing media have not misrepresented their opponents and coddled their "friends"?

I cannot.

Absolutely not. FOX News does conservatives a huge disservice in their reporting and if I were a conservative, I would want to disassociate from them completely.