GOP candidate Ben Carson says he probably wouldn't have shot Michael Brown

[libertybele]

The draw to Carson is he is black and he gives a semi-conservative pitch and has no ties with the GOP establishment.  Other than that he has NO experience to warrant him being president.  I can't imagine leading this country in any way accept perhaps he would make a great  medical adviser to the next president.

[olde north church]

High intelligence.

Some of the most supposedly intelligent Presidents have been the worse. 

[EC]

True, but all other things being equal, brains are not a hindrance to being President.

Good points - apart from being a thoroughly decent human being?

He's used to working as the head of a TEAM. That bodes well for actually running the Executive branch, which is a team, no matter how easy it is to personalise onto it's head.
He's definitely no Washington insider - a plus for every single person who bothers commenting on politics.
He's highly unlikely to approve of or expand social programs which pay for existing. Guy dragged himself up and won't take no excuses from others.
He thinks before he speaks. I know it's not terribly exciting - I don't WANT an exciting, shoot from the lip, President on the world stage. That sort of bleep tends to lead to grunts getting hurt.
Unlike every single other candidate up for the nomination - he has actually made the call. Who lives, who dies.

[libertybele]

True, but all other things being equal, brains are not a hindrance to being President.

Good points - apart from being a thoroughly decent human being?

He's used to working as the head of a TEAM. That bodes well for actually running the Executive branch, which is a team, no matter how easy it is to personalise onto it's head.
He's definitely no Washington insider - a plus for every single person who bothers commenting on politics.
He's highly unlikely to approve of or expand social programs which pay for existing. Guy dragged himself up and won't take no excuses from others.
He thinks before he speaks. I know it's not terribly exciting - I don't WANT an exciting, shoot from the lip, President on the world stage. That sort of bleep tends to lead to grunts getting hurt.
Unlike every single other candidate up for the nomination - he has actually made the call. Who lives, who dies.

Those are some valid points and there is no argument about his intelligence.  The argument is his absolute lack of experience in several areas; political, law and business.  He IMHO is the very least qualified candidate to become president.  Sure, he's a nice guy.  As a doctor, I don't think he made decisions as to who lives and who dies; usually most doctors try to save lives.  Trump and Fiorina both have vast business experience and are very accomplished in the business world.  Cruz has tremendous experience and knowledge in Constitutional law and experience as a Solicitor General and Senator.  Paul was a physician, but has political experience as a Senator. Santorum has experience as an attorney and Senator.  Rubio has experience as a Senator and if I haven't left anyone out the remaining candidates have experience as Governors.

Again, Carson has no law, business or political experience.  He is a talented black neurosurgeon.  That's it.  Sorry, he seems like a nice guy and he has some conservative viewpoints, but he just doesn't have the qualification needed. He very well indeed may one day have the qualifications and experience behind him to lead this country; just not at this time.

[famousdayandyear]

Carson may be a great, talented American.
However, not my choice for Commander in Chief.
Better than Obama, yes.
But not enough of the "right stuff"  to make hard military decisions.
IMO

[EC]

Those are some valid points and there is no argument about his intelligence.  The argument is his absolute lack of experience in several areas; political, law and business.  He IMHO is the very least qualified candidate to become president.  Sure, he's a nice guy.  As a doctor, I don't think he made decisions as to who lives and who dies; usually most doctors try to save lives.  Trump and Fiorina both have vast business experience and are very accomplished in the business world.  Cruz has tremendous experience and knowledge in Constitutional law and experience as a Solicitor General and Senator.  Paul was a physician, but has political experience as a Senator. Santorum has experience as an attorney and Senator.  Rubio has experience as a Senator and if I haven't left anyone out the remaining candidates have experience as Governors.

Again, Carson has no law, business or political experience.  He is a talented black neurosurgeon.  That's it.  Sorry, he seems like a nice guy and he has some conservative viewpoints, but he just doesn't have the qualification needed. He very well indeed may one day have the qualifications and experience behind him to lead this country; just not at this time.

All true. Yet I'm thinking that something like 90% of politicians are legally trained. That's not really worked out well thus far for us, has it?

[Oceander]

That killed it for me will never vote for Ben Carson. I don't want another black president who sides with criminals or puts himself in a position he has never been in and says he would do this or that. Bullshit no one knows what they would do if a dude as big as brown was coming after you.

Are you serious?  This is your litmus test?

[Bigun]

All true. Yet I'm thinking that something like 90% of politicians are legally trained. That's not really worked out well thus far for us, has it?

NO! It has not!

[Bigun]

Carson may be a great, talented American.
However, not my choice for Commander in Chief.
Better than Obama, yes.
But not enough of the "right stuff"  to make hard military decisions.
IMO

I respectfully disagree! He is plenty smart enough to surround himself with people who have devoted their lives to such matters and would listen to them.  That's enough for me!

There are however other things that he has said that give me great pause at the moment.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

Once again we agree! And there isn't even any thunder and lightening! 

It's kind of nice to be on the same side.  We should do it more often.

[libertybele]

I respectfully disagree! He is plenty smart enough to surround himself with people who have devoted their lives to such matters and would listen to them.  That's enough for me!

There are however other things that he has said that give me great pause at the moment.

Well, he is intelligent enough that's not at issue.  Ok, he surrounds himself with people to help him.  But at the end of the day there are things as a president that he should know and HE and he alone is the one that needs to lead this country.  He and he alone would be Commander and Chief.  For me, the ultimate question ... who really is Ben Carson?  If we take Obama for example most really knew who he was and we have found out his ties to people such as Rev. Wright, Ayers and the Muslim Brotherhood.

We can't judge Carson by his voting record because he has none.  We can't judge his performance as a businessman because he's never been one.  We can't judge him by his Constitutional knowledge or experience with law, because he hasn't demonstrated that knowledge.  We can only judge him as a neurosurgeon and perhaps an author.

Hewitt's (who also interview Trump) interview of Carson was I thought very telling of Carson.  IMHO, he just isn't ready to be president and I certainly can't imagine him as someone strong enough to lead this country.

http://www.businessinsider.com/ben-carson-stumbled-in-an-extremely-uncomfortable-interview-2015-3

[musiclady]

Trying real hard to find controversy on a great man, where their is no controversy.  The stories title says "Probably" would not have shot him, and in the story he says "Its hard to say"....meaning he would have to be there in person to make the decision.   I have heard cops say as much - and how they would have handled it better, and several  post on defensive carry forums also saying they would have tried for a different outcome is they could.

That's exactly what's happening here.

Made up controversy for people who have already made up their minds.

I haven't chosen a candidate yet, and this doesn't sway me an iota against Carson.

[libertybele]

That's exactly what's happening here.

Made up controversy for people who have already made up their minds.

I haven't chosen a candidate yet, and this doesn't sway me an iota against Carson.

I agree with you.  Because of his lack of political experience, there isn't any political controversy to be found. I'm sure by now the liberals and the MSM have tried to dig up some dirt on him...so far it doesn't appear that they've found any.  Remember back when Cain was rising in the polls?  They buried him with accusations of extra marital affairs, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct.

[musiclady]

I agree with you.  Because of his lack of political experience, there isn't any political controversy to be found. I'm sure by now the liberals and the MSM have tried to dig up some dirt on him...so far it doesn't appear that they've found any.  Remember back when Cain was rising in the polls?  They buried him with accusations of extra marital affairs, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct.

I remember it well.  Cain was targeted and taken out by the vicious left.

Of course, sexual misconduct is good when Bill Clinton does it, but it will bury any conservative, whether it's true or not.

But bringing up Cain is a good reminder that the left tries to take out anyone on the right who is in a minority, or a woman.  They are far more vicious against them even relative to their ugly attacks on white men.  We are invading their 'turf' when conservatives in groups that they claim to own speak out.

So expect continued vicious attacks on Carson, Fiorina, Cruz and Rubio just because they don't have the right not to toe the leftist party groupthink line.

[NavyCanDo]

I'm just curious as to exactly what the separation of Siamese twins has to do with being head of the Executive Branch?

Oh please, give me a break.    No profession demands more intelligence and wisdom or cause greater stress than being a neurosurgeon, especially one who is a pediatric neurosurgeon. A CEO makes a bad decision stocks tumble, investors lose money.  A pediatric neurosurgeon makes a bad decision, and somebody is burying their little boy or girl. And this decision making happens every day.

[musiclady]

Oh please, give me a break.    No profession demands more intelligence and wisdom or cause greater stress than being a neurosurgeon, especially one who is a pediatric neurosurgeon. A CEO makes a bad decision stocks tumble, investors lose money.  A pediatric neurosurgeon makes a bad decision, and somebody is burying their little boy or girl. And this decision making happens every day.

Bravo!!

[mrclose]

There was one appropriate answer ..

“I was not at the scene and I have not reviewed the evidence. I have not received law enforcement training. Therefore it is not possible for me to speculate on how I would have reacted in the situation.”

[olde north church]

Oh please, give me a break.    No profession demands more intelligence and wisdom or cause greater stress than being a neurosurgeon, especially one who is a pediatric neurosurgeon. A CEO makes a bad decision stocks tumble, investors lose money.  A pediatric neurosurgeon makes a bad decision, and somebody is burying their little boy or girl. And this decision making happens every day.

I don't know how many people here are still here because of the talents of a neurosurgeon.  I am.  I have the greatest respect for the neuro team that saved my life.  There's not a single member of that team who I would want to be President.

[mrclose]

I don't know how many people here are still here because of the talents of a neurosurgeon.  I am.  I have the greatest respect for the neuro team that saved my life.  There's not a single member of that team who I would want to be President.

 

[musiclady]

I don't know how many people here are still here because of the talents of a neurosurgeon.  I am.  I have the greatest respect for the neuro team that saved my life.  There's not a single member of that team who I would want to be President.

That means absolutely nothing.

I know hundreds of doctors who shouldn't be president, but that has nothing to do with Ben Carson's potential to be President.

Completely irrelevant.

[olde north church]

That means absolutely nothing.

I know hundreds of doctors who shouldn't be president, but that has nothing to do with Ben Carson's potential to be President.

Completely irrelevant.

All things considered, I'll depend upon my experience based opinion.  I'll give yours a bit more weight when you've met as many neurosurgeons, from my perspective.

[musiclady]

All things considered, I'll depend upon my experience based opinion.  I'll give yours a bit more weight when you've met as many neurosurgeons, from my perspective.

My husband has worked in hospital administration for nearly 4 decades, and I'll guarantee you he knows many, many more neurosurgeons than you do.

And he absolutely loves Ben Carson.

The neurosurgeons you happen to know bear no relevance to Carson's competence.

Period.

[olde north church]

My husband has worked in hospital administration for nearly 4 decades, and I'll guarantee you he knows many, many more neurosurgeons than you do.

And he absolutely loves Ben Carson.

The neurosurgeons you happen to know bear no relevance to Carson's competence.

Period.

I'm sure the neurosurgeons I was unfortunate enough to get to know ran in the same circles as Dr. Carson.  I probably would trust to work on me, just a somewhat less sure about voting for him for President.

[sinkspur]

This is such a hilarious conversation.

A world-renowned neurosurgeon doesn't have the temperament to be president, but a hot-headed loudmouth who loves to use eminent domain to shove people out of their homes so he can put up another garish office tower with his name on it--in gold--has all the qualifications needed for the highest office in the land.

Trumproids are so funny.

[bkepley]

This is such a hilarious conversation.

A world-renowned neurosurgeon doesn't have the temperament to be president, but a hot-headed loudmouth who loves to use eminent domain to shove people out of their homes so he can put up another garish office tower with his name on it--in gold--has all the qualifications needed for the highest office in the land.

Trumproids are so funny.

I don't think ONC is a Trumpoid unlike a couple of others here...he just doesn't think Carson is tough enough to be a good president.  Frankly although I would do my best to support Carson I'm not sure he can win if nominated.