There's a hit piece on Ben Carson today from Politico that creates a new low for the mainstream media. According to Politico, Carson lied about his involvement with West Point and General Westmorland for the last three decades (Carson had the story in his first book published in 1990.) It is undisputed that Carson was in high school ROTC in Detroit and rose to be the Executive Officer (second in command) in that program. Carson says in his book that he was chosen in 1969 to represent the ROTC at a dinner honoring Medal of Honor recipients, the Memorial Day Parade and other events. Carson says that after the Memorial Day Parade general William Westmoreland who had been commander in Vietnam and later Army chief of staff held a dinner which he attended. Carson says he got to speak with Westmoreland who was very impressed with him. Carson then was offered a chance to go to West Point with a "full scholarship". Carson turned down West Point because he wanted to go to medical school and the commitment to the army would have delayed that.
So now Politico is claiming that Carson now admits that this is a fabricated story. The only proper response to Politico is "Bullshit!" Here's the supposed fabrications identified by Politico:
1. Westmoreland was not at the Memorial Day Parade so Carson couldn't have met with him. Of course, Westmoreland was at the dinner to honor Medal of Honor recipients that Carson attended. Carson may have gotten the timing of his meeting wrong.
2. There is no such thing as a "full scholarship" to West Point. If one is admitted as a cadet to the USMA, there are no charges. The government pays for everything. So in the twisted world of Politico and the mainstream media, going for free to college and a full scholarship to college are not the same thing. Are they kidding?
3. There is no record of Ben Carson applying to West Point. Of course, the problem there is that Carson himself said that he chose not to go. The idea that general Westmoreland and others told Carson that he could go to West Point is not negated by a lack of an application. Most cadets get admitted as a result of a Congressional appointment. There are some others, however, who get admitted as a result of appointments from other senior government officials (like general Westmoreland.)
Boil all this down and all that Politico has shown is that Carson may have confused the date 45 years ago when he had dinner with general Westmoreland. That supposedly merits a charge that Carson fabricated his story. The Politico reporters ought to be fired for such poor reporting.
So now Politico is claiming that Carson now admits that this is a fabricated story. The only proper response to Politico is "Bullshit!" Here's the supposed fabrications identified by Politico:
1. Westmoreland was not at the Memorial Day Parade so Carson couldn't have met with him. Of course, Westmoreland was at the dinner to honor Medal of Honor recipients that Carson attended. Carson may have gotten the timing of his meeting wrong.
2. There is no such thing as a "full scholarship" to West Point. If one is admitted as a cadet to the USMA, there are no charges. The government pays for everything. So in the twisted world of Politico and the mainstream media, going for free to college and a full scholarship to college are not the same thing. Are they kidding?
3. There is no record of Ben Carson applying to West Point. Of course, the problem there is that Carson himself said that he chose not to go. The idea that general Westmoreland and others told Carson that he could go to West Point is not negated by a lack of an application. Most cadets get admitted as a result of a Congressional appointment. There are some others, however, who get admitted as a result of appointments from other senior government officials (like general Westmoreland.)
Boil all this down and all that Politico has shown is that Carson may have confused the date 45 years ago when he had dinner with general Westmoreland. That supposedly merits a charge that Carson fabricated his story. The Politico reporters ought to be fired for such poor reporting.
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