Tonight’s highly anticipated Republican debate will be a no-holds-bar slobber knocker compared to the first. At least two GOP candidates have vowed to attack front-runner Donald Trump: former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. Who benefits most from this?
Dr. Ben Carson, who is all but guaranteed to come out a winner in tonight’s debate while the rest of the GOP candidates mud wrestle with Trump. The big win could catapult Carson straight to favorite status for the Republican nomination.
It’s partly because Carson is, in some ways, the anti-Trump – and it’s working. According to recent polls, voters are responding. The latest, released Tuesday by the New York Times, has Carson virtually tied for the lead with Trump moving into Wednesday’s debate.
Voters say they see Carson as a gentle candidate who lets his record as a renowned brain surgeon speak for itself. The bragging about his resume and place in the polls, on the rare occasions it comes, is delivered with none of the superlatives that Donald Trump can’t seem to go without.
Yet the 63-year-old Republican, the only African-American seeking the White House in 2016, has tapped into the same wave of anti-establishment outrage fueling the billionaire realty TV star’s rise.
“The likelihood of someone like me getting through this process and making it to president is virtually impossible,” Carson told The Associated Press in a recent interview. “I just have to be myself. And if being myself resonates with the American people, then they will choose me.
“And if it doesn’t,” he said, “they will choose somebody else.”
Like Trump, Carson was dismissed early as a gaffe-prone novice lacking a national profile and any significant political network. But he appears to be connecting with Republican voters at a rate that even his closest aides didn’t predict.
Heading into Wednesday night’s second debate of the GOP contest, Carson finds himself alongside Trump atop the field. And unlike during the last debate, Carson is expected to get significantly more air time this time around.
Wednesday night offers Carson a new chance to build on that momentum. A stage full of Republican candidates will face off at the Reagan Presidential Library for the party’s second formal debate. Carson emerged from the first as a surprise success, his popularity fueled by his nice-guy image on a night when his competitors came out swinging.
“My whole life people have told me you can’t do this, no one’s ever done this before, this is impossible,” Carson said. “I don’t even get charged up until I hear those words.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article
Unless you are going to remove the lawbreakers from our country you wont get my vote!!!!!!!!
Then you need to be the first
If we get rid of all the lawbreakers we would lose all Democrats, our president, and 90% of all Republicans. The Supreme court would lose 7 of the 9, and most Fed judges would have to go. Then we could put Ben Carson in the WH and see if he could straighten out the mess.
Trump is on top for saying he will get rid of illegals. Almost half the people here are on welfare and our debt is growing. WE do NOT need/want more people. Look at Calif. It’s demos using taxes to buy the votes of many special interest groups. Aliens will/do vote.
Pinocchiobamas birth certificate is phony and if the Repubs in congress had any guts they would already have determined that. He grew up some with muslims and went to Rev(?) Wright church that preached hate forf 20 years, then lied about it and got caught. He has never acted like an American and is the worst prez ever.
Just getting wealth from your grand father’s search for gold in Alaska to father’s investments in properties in New Jersey and Queens does not make a man smart neither bragging as though he had start from the scratch. If he were not born, with his family’s wealth building search then all he is doing is reinvesting the given wealth to brag and make himself look smart.
Degrading women and telling people who are trying to resolve a terrible situation in Middle East peacefully calling them names make him look like a JERK and a cry baby. With this attitude he is not even fit to be a guest at the White House. Leave alone living there as the President of this great nation!
He is nothing but a big broken Tuba! in a losing teams band!
Al Razzi
First, wherever his initial wealth came from, he has done very impressive things with it as a business executive. Note the definition of USA President: Chief Executive Officer. Not “leader,” “savior,” “king or queen,” etc. He has gotten things done, unlike most of those who call themselves “politicians.” In the USA the people should be the leaders, the leading itself to be done by the Congress, which is their collective voice. Second, he puts the interests of the United States first. All sane countries do. The third reason is actually an amalgam of the first two. The realism: he would not instigate policies based on the idiotic premise that the Middle East can be turned into Iowa. And, with a dollar sign in one hand and a model of a stealth bomber in the other, he would suggest to our enemies that they should not underestimate us.
An extra: at an inauguration he would not wear the silly top hat. The hair would properly fit under it. Desert Tortoise
It seems to me you never heard any of Obama’s ravings before both of his elections. He was a complete flop as a Senator
from Illinois and didn’t vote for or against any bills that came to the floor, just present. So go back into your cave and resume your your hibernation. If the World doesn’t end before his term is over you can come out.
I like Carson but would a brain surgery have enough knowledge to run a BIG business like the United States? He does seem very gentle and kind and he is caring or he would not be a doctor but I worry abut us getting someone who can STRAIGHTEN out the MESS our nation is in. It will take a LOT of determination, business knowledge. and a person who will not allow ANY of the CONGRESS or Senate to take bribes which I think is done all the time and MOST of them care doodle squat about the USA, they want to line THEIR pockets with money. I think Trump is hard on women especially and I wish he wold not do that for he is losing the female voter. I think though he has a OT of business acuity which we need at this time.
THUMP TRUMP—–WIN WITH BEN!
I feel the same way. I adore Ben but I don’t know his strength to deal with all that you have to as Chief Ex. Officer of the USA. For this reason I like Trump. I think he CAN deal with all that nonsense and put them into their place. I wish he’d stop knocking women too after all he loves them too, he’s trained both wives and his daughter. I’d like to see a ticket with him and Ben on it. Ben can try to advise him to be quieter. But we need someone who won’t back down right now. American has lost so much ground in the world of respect and honor. We don’t have to be the #1 country for the world; but we need to be respected as a true nation. We don’t bow to any other nation or leader. We don’t dip out flag for any person or nation. We run to help every nation; we grant them loans and then forgive those loans which makes our national debt soar. No one else does that. We are one of the first to go to disasters.
I like what he says but can’t help wondering, I thought Obama would help with race relations in America and he has done just the opposite! How would Carson help with race relations?
Trump is not that intelligent . He did get some good financial advisors who got him started in real estate . And now he has executive supervisos who actually run his holdings .Notice all the free time he has ? He just has to sign legal papers and away he goes again . He is a borderline PD case. It shows in his up and down personality , insulting then saying, no i love … or they are beautiful etc . Never says how he is going to do something just ” I know all the right people , I have lots of money . Insulting, bragging , blustery, whiney and it starts all over again . ” It would scare me with his finger on the red button .
A smart leader puts major players all around him to do the job and get the job done…….then gives THEM credit for their accomplishments…….any smart boss will do this……I’m not sure the Donald has that in him…..he kind of like’s being a one man band.
I like his moxey, but not sure that’s enough to get us out of this hole we are in…….I think it will take a leader that will look to his higher power for alot of wisdom and direction.
Dr. Carson is a solid conservative and a good, gentle man. I think he would be a very good president. Obviously he is a very smart man, but also humble. It has been a long time since we have had someone like him in the White house. It would be a welcome change.
WE DON’T NEED BRAIN SURGERY TO OPERATE THE GOVERNMENT. WE NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN SAY, “YOUR FIRED.”
Dr Carson has did executive work for several big companies before he was a surgeon . One was Costo and he named several others and I’m sorry I can’t remember them .
tired of polished politicians………….. trump and carson both I would take over the whole field represented…….. nothing been done to do anything but appease the masses and be politically correct need thing done…… fixed and worked onand no it wont be over nite…… it took us years to get to this position we need statesmen to get us going and revamp our political system to limit terms and get rid of the money hunger politicians…… big money runs this country not the people……………and to say these men are not smart enough look what we had running this country you think they were?……… tire of the same thing promises and snake tongues………. take note we need some one that is not spoon fed by big money…….. they are scrambling and afraind and you know they are goin to put out any propaganda to smear either one of these guys………….even if we elect one of these guys and it doesn’t jump start the US I am sure there will be waves of newness and head turning to the US to see what will happen……… thank you
Physician, Dr. Ben Carson was a specialty surgeon, until he retired. His former skills as a specialty surgeon and his mild-mannered civility at the age of 63 scarcely qualify him for the U.S. presidency. If he were elected to the USPresidency, the “system” into which he would be installed would do a job on him similar to that done by the CIA+Bush on Ronald Reagan, and the same ol – same ol would continue.
You are looking at the surface only and you do not see the spiritual strength, intelligence, humility and God given power that lies beneath. He also knows better that anyone else that he does not and cannot know everything. What he DOES know is how to pick and delegate responsibility to some one that has the knowledge and experience for the job that is needed at the time. And that my friend is the qualifications of the leader that this country desperately needs
WHOMEVER GETS THE PRESIDENCY WILL HAVE TO BE A REAL SCRAPPER, THE GOOD-OLE-BOY CLUB THAT IS WASHINGTON NEEDS TO BE TOTALY KILLED OFF AND STARTED OVER WITH PEOPLE OF COMMON SENSE, NOT MONEY-GRUBBING PROSTITUTES LOOKING TO LINE THEIR OWN POCKETS AT THE TAXPAYERS EXPENSE.NOT ONE IN FIFTY OF THE . JACKASSES IN D.C. HAVE THE INTEGRETY OF A ALLEY CAT. THEY WORK UNDER THE TABLE MORE THAN ON TOP.THERE NEEDS TO BE AN OPEN-SEASON ON LOBBYISTS, WITH A BOUNTY ON SKINS..THERE ARE MORE THIEVES IN D.C. THAN IN THE WORST PRISON .
Can’t disagree with this but the way to handle it is in the poling place. Vote out the Senators and Reps who have been there forever and get some new blood in Washington!
Ad hominem argumentation should be discouraged in this evening’s debate, considering that they are all (supposedly) Republicans.
Expatiation of their conservative views is anticipated. All the candidates have distinct qualifications, experiences, and expertise. May the best individual win.
I would vote for Trump over Carson because he runs huge companies that make money. The government is a huge company and needs to be run with an iron fist by the right top person surrounded by the proper secondary people. People who know and can do their job unlike the present administration which is a joke and has made the USA the whipping post and laughing stock of the entire world!
So much nattering, so little analysis. Why is Trump leading? Simple, he has enunciated what the largest segment of America wants done. How does he know this and why don’t the other drones on stage? Because he does not live in the Washington bubble. ANY candidate could improve themselves in the rankings simply by adopting the same platform. Cruz is the only other candidate who mentioned the border but he was far too timid about it. Trump gives the impression that he will get things done. The rest don’t. It’s a beauty contest and you’re trying to schmooze the audience, try to understand the dynamics in play here. Cruz is my choice BUT the Don’s mission whether he knows it or not is to push the conversation to the right which is exactly what Americans want.
I went in critical of Fiorina’s performance at HP and nothing she said changed my mind . If anything I dislike her more now.
Bush ? No way ! I ‘m not into dynasties. He wanted to tax toilet paper in Florida..LOL.
I like Ben Carson but if anything he’s too nice , there are some real killers out there among the world’s leaders who have no love for the USA.
Kasich should have a place in any new administration but not the top slot.
I still like Trump. He’s tough enough to deal with world leaders who have no love for the USA and is not part of the beltway club and has enough money to immunize him from being purchased. I like it that he’s pro- American citizen workers and will try to bring jobs home.
I feel God is on Ben Carson’s side all the way. Think of his hands….God had to have helped him with ALL of the surgery he did. I feel God would help him in the Whitehouse also. My
vote is for Dr. Ben Carson.