Win the Presidency. Lose Your Soul
The only thing that stemmed the media’s increasing scrutiny of Dr. Ben Carson’s biography, temporarily at least, was the fourth Republican presidential debate.
Carson had been so incensed about every perceived crack in his life story, that he’d started to double down on his stories about his bad boyhood temper.
Yes, he’d tried to stab somebody; yes, he’d gotten belly laughs when he hurled rocks at passing cars; and, yes, he’d learned the wisdom of pounding the books, instead of his playmates.
If he had to answer another question about that time he claims he tried to bludgeon his own mother with a hammer, I fear he might’ve broken out into his version of, “If I had a hammer.”
These questions won’t stop.
No matter how much he protests that he’s the only presidential candidate who’s ever had their personal histories placed under a microscope, his pushback won’t quell the media’s curiosity.
So, a debate, for the time-being, gave Carson a chance to make even more questionable statements.
When asked if he’d raise the minimum wage, Carson declared, “I would not raise it.”
You don’t have to dig into the depths of his bio to question that statement.
In early May of this year, he told CNBC’s John Harwood, “I think, probably, it should be higher than now ($7.25).”
Carson wasn’t alone in making some fact-checkable statements last Tuesday night.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, during the “kid’s table” debate, repeated a claim that’s already been debunked by fact-checkers.
“Democrats want to raise tax rates to 80 percent,” Christie said.
During a previous debate, by the way, he claimed Democrats would raise “your” taxes to 90 percent.
Both claims are wrong. No Democratic presidential candidate has ever proposed raising taxes anywhere near that level.
Marco Rubio’s claim that “Welders make more money than philosophers,” and that “We need more welders and less philosophers,” is a curious attack on philosophers.
It’s wrong on its face.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that the median annual wage for welders is $37,420, compared to $63,630 for philosophers.
When Jeb Bush claimed that, “We have to recognize that small businesses right now, more of them are closing than are being set up,” he was repeating the oft-disputed claim that the policies of the Obama administration are putting an undo bite on small businesses.
That, too, is a wrong assumption. A U.S. Census Bureau based study indicates that since 2012, there are more business start-ups than those which have been forced to close.
Carly Fiorina was asked to respond to claims that Democrats are better at creating jobs than Republicans, given that monthly, Obama has added an average of 107,000 jobs and Bill Clinton 240,000 jobs; while George W. Bush created an average of 13,000 jobs a month.
Fiorina ignored that question. It wouldn’t fit the Republican narrative that Obama is personally preventing job growth.
Instead, Fiorina resorted to a three paragraph non-answer that included the words “Yes, problems have still gotten worse under Democrats.”
There’s Donald Trump, with his perpetual vow to uproot millions of illegal aliens and send them packing.
Except he used a 1954 program initiated by President Dwight Eisenhower as proof that such a plan could work.
Trump didn’t include the fact that Ike’s plan was officially (and sadly) titled “Operation Wetback,” and it led to 88 people dying in the desert from heat stroke.
While Trump says that it had led to 1.5 million illegals leaving the country, there is more proof that it only led to no more than 250,000 deportations.
Trump’s solution for an estimated 11 million people, was met with a blistering response from Jeb Bush.
Because he’s aware of how crucial the Hispanic vote is to regaining the White House, Bush said, “They’re doing high-fives in the Clinton campaign right now when they hear this.”
Moments later, Hillary Clinton’s press Secretary tweeted, “We actually are doing high-fives right now.”
Let’s face it, what good is it to win the presidency, if you lose your soul?
Edward A. Owens is a three time Emmy Award winner and 20-year veteran of television news. E-mail him at freedoms@bellatlantic.net