Discussion:

Discussion for article #242985

Wait, whut? So the “elderly gentleman” statement from the Carson campaign was in reference to Advisor Clarridge, and not to Dr. Ben Carson? My first read of the “take advantage of an elderly gentleman” statement was that was in reference to the candidate, Ben Carson. I thought that the Carson campaign was essentially 2nd-amendmenting itself in the foot: Vote for Ben Carson, who’s qualified to be President. But don’t take advantage of Dr. Carson, because he’s an elderly gentleman.

“For The New York Times to take advantage of an elderly gentleman and use him as their foil in this story is an affront to good journalistic practices."

Well, yeah, Williams gave the NYT his name, but he didn’t think he’d actually call the old codger.

Is Clarridge the guy who told Carson he could find General Tso at The Panda Express in Syria?

___ The rest is history! ~derp, derp, derp ~
Why is ‘Honest’ Ben Carson cavorting with such disreputable and shady people? …Oh…that’s right. Carson is a dishonest liar as well.

BTW: Anyone who had anything to do with foreign policy during the Bonzo Ronnie Reagan administration should be in jail or the insane asylum and nowhere near a legitimate media outlet and an ‘adviser.’

I am sure he is a good christian, so wipe the slate clean, praise jeebus, and vote for Ben.

The actual meaning is no better. They are taking advice from someone they are now essentially claiming is senile. In fact, he is the only adviser they named they receive advice from. Even gave the NYT his phone number and told them to call Clarridge up to verify.

Then when he did verify…he became the elderly gentleman being taken advantage of. If he is that elderly that he can’t conduct an interview with the NYT, why is he providing any advice to a Presidential campaign?

Actually, it wasn’t.

The guy who told Carson about the Chinese in Syria is another right wing loon with a history of being a crackpot.

Which is sort of the story that is emerging with Carson, that is every bit as scary as the fact that he himself holds on to some pretty wacky notions. He is surrounded by over the moon crazy people, who are filling him up with all sorts of nonsense. Carson seems to have absolutely no filter mechanism at all, nor does anyone on his campaign.

At this point I wouldn’t trust Ben Carson to run a laundromat.

My partner insists that Donnie Trumpette is a Manchurian Candidate planted by some evil genius Democratic operative as a prank in the spirit of the legendary Dick Tuck. Say the Ragin’ Cajun himself, James Carville. He does have the humor and imagination, and I bet he and Donnie are drinking buddies.

What I don’t get is how Tuck-Carville got to Dr. Ben, who as an Adventist doesn’t drink, sticking instead to prescription soporiphics.

Seriously, guys, two prank candidates in one campaign? Pace yourselves!

I guess John Bolton had other commitments?

Oy!

What is ultimately troubling about all this is that while we expect our President to call upon advisers in many fields, it is essential that he/she have sufficient knowledge and competence to critically assess each adviser’s bona fides as well as the rationality and reasonableness of their advice. On the latter, Duane Clarridge would seem to fail on on all points, which raises the question, who else is Dr. Carson listening to? And if Clarridge exemplifies the kind of adviser that the good doctor is selecting, then it seems to follow that Carson is ill-equipped to evaluate both the credentials of his advisers and their advice. To me, that is an automatic disqualification for election.

We have already had too much experience with mindless presidents taking advice from incompetent and/or corrupt counselors.

How telling, almost laughable, when the thought of your own candidate becoming president is the worst possible nightmare you could have.
And the official Carson campaign explanation is, for all intents and purposes, that Ben Carson was
receiving tutelage from an adviser so old and senile that it was unethical for a reporter even to contact him on the record? ~snicker!~

Obviously, ‘Lullaby’ Ben Carson thinks that all he needs to know about foreign affairs and policy are in the Babble’! …and most likely in the Book of Revelation.

When Benny’ exits the stage to grift more from the Baggertards and Rightie loons, the only real losers will be comics.

BTW: Anyone else ever think of the character (played brilliantly by Peter Sellers) Chauncey Gardiner, (aka: Chance the gardener) the witless soul whose vacuousness and verbal meandering is mistaken for thoughtful genius, in the movie "Being There," when Carson appears and talks?

___ He forces that character into my mind every time I see him and hear him speak. ~hmmm?~ Then again, so did Dubya.

Ah, I see. Thanks.

and… ::groan::: So. much. fail.

From the article, Clarridge is 83.

You’re absolutely correct. I looked at another person’s stats in Carson’s circle and misread completely.

The affront is that a supposed top tier candidate for President is using someone of such dubious background to form their foreign policy positions. That and Carson appears to be such a bozo that he can’t learn anything after repeated “lessons.”

Shouldn’t this article (as well as yesterday’s article on this subject) say “one iota of intelligent (sic) information”?