Politico Admits Fabricating A Hit Piece On Ben Carson

[SVPete]

Politico Admits Fabricating A Hit Piece On Ben Carson
NOVEMBER 6, 2015 By Mollie Hemingway
thefederalist.com

In a story published early on Friday, Politico’s Kyle Cheney authored a piece headlined “Ben Carson admits fabricating West Point scholarship” with a subhed “Carson’s campaign on Friday conceded that a central point in his inspirational personal story did not occur as he previously described.”

There were at least five major problems with the story:

* The headline was completely false
* The subhed was also completely false
* The opening paragraph was false false false
* The substance of the piece was missing key exonerating information
* The article demonstrated confusion about service academy admissions and benefits

Roughly none of this is true. Ben Carson’s campaign did not “admit” that a central point in his story “was fabricated.” Quite the opposite. The central point of the story is falsely described by Cheney/Politico as being that he applied and was accepted at West Point. Carson, in fact, has repeatedly claimed not to have applied. So any claim regarding the absence of West Point records of such an application would not debunk Carson’s point. And, again, Carson’s campaign never “conceded” the story was false at least in part because the story, as characterized by Politico, is not one he told. Further, Cheney is unable to substantiate his claim that Carson told this story. Nowhere in the article does he even explain, with facts, where he came up with the idea that Carson has ever made this claim.

Politico stealthily edited the inflammatory headline and lede, after the damage was done. They made changes without adding a note about what was corrected. They didn’t update the piece or add an editor’s note. ...

It's always easier to refute facts one's opponent never made. So beyond Politico and Kyle Cheney publishing a near-totally-false (Ben Carson does exist, and did meet Gen. Westmoreland) deceitful and deceptive hit-piece, Politico and Cheney revealed that they view Dr. Carson as their opponent! IOW, wrt Carson, Politico is Full Bias Ahead!

Rs, especially R Presidential candidates, need to understand that the MSM are, largely, partisan actors, and most MSM "reporters" and editorialists are partisan operatives not paid by the Ds (yet?). The Rs, Carson especially, need to wrap this hit-piece and CNBC's shameful debate debacle around the MSM's throat and kick them where it hurts, access. All R Presidential candidates need to refuse all Politico, CNBC, and MesSNBC "reporters" any greater access than what is given to reporters from junior college newspapers (less, if the JC reporter is given interview time). This should be announced publicly, with the reasons spelled out, bluntly.

Carson, Cruz, and maybe Trump and Rubio, might do this. I don't see the rest of the candidates or the R Party having this kind of courage, though I'd dearly love to be surprised.

Further, Carson, Cruz, and Rubio need to fully realize and be ready to act preemptively and responsively to the basic fact that they will be targets for all manner of smears and hit-pieces. Remember Herman Cain? Remember how his accuser suddenly went quiet and disappeared after he dropped out? For her and the MSM it was, "Mission Accomplished"!

[libertybele]

I for one fell for the Politico hype and hype of just about every media news source out there regarding this story about Carson.  Yes, he's the target because he is the front runner, but keep in mind  he has no business background, no political record and no voting record.  People and the media have only his "character" and what he says to "assess".  Trump and Fiorina have a business history to assess and the remainder of the candidates have political backgrounds.  While the attraction for a lot of people is Carson's lack of political experience, for me, it doesn't set well that the only background he has is that of a neurosurgeon; hardly qualification to be a president.  We have to trust him at his word, What Politico was trying to do was to find something to discredit his word.  He's written books and his books are under scrutiny.  Every GOP candidate will be under scrutiny by the media.

[obumazombie]

Any story found to be maliciously untrue, like the one outlined by SVPete should be the basis for the dismissal of the reporter who wrote the story, and the editor who approved it.

[SVPete]

I believe Carson was also a department head at his hospital as well as having been a surgeon. IOW, he has management experience, though probably not on public record.

I have zero problems with the MSM vetting things like candidates' academic records, real estate and bankruptcy records, speeches, and published articles and books. None at all, but you know where I'm going with this.

Where's the MSM's vetting of The CHILL's records, speeches, and publications? Cricket ... Cricket ... Cricket ... Cricket ...

Where's the MSM's vetting of Bernie's records, speeches, and publications? Cricket ... Cricket ... Cricket ... Cricket ...

For that matter, there's not been a whole lot of MSM vetting of the R candidates, except for some of Cruz and Rubio. Recognize a pattern here?

R candidates of minority heritage are getting almost all the media scrutiny; other R candidates are getting pretty much all of what little scrutiny is focused on other candidates; Bernie's getting zero scrutiny; the coverage Tsaritsa CHILL is getting is being forced by investigations into Benghazi and her email server, and most of that coverage has been MSM folk downplaying and dismissing the import of The CHILL's very real ineptitude and wrong-doing.

So, the MSM should be vetting all candidates, with some focus on leaders. But the vetting has not been apportioned among D and R candidates in a non-partisan fashion, and among R candidates the MSM have been focusing on those of minority heritage.

IOW, the MSM have been partisan attack dogs, especially against off-the-plantation blacks (remember Herman Cain?) and off-the-estancia Hispanics.

And that's before scrutinizing Politico's partisan racist LIES!!!

[SVPete]

Any story found to be maliciously untrue, like the one outlined by SVPete should be the basis for the dismissal of the reporter who wrote the story, and the editor who approved it.

I assume you won't be turning blue in anticipation of those dismissals.

[Eupher]

I for one fell for the Politico hype and hype of just about every media news source out there regarding this story about Carson.  Yes, he's the target because he is the front runner, but keep in mind  he has no business background, no political record and no voting record.  People and the media have only his "character" and what he says to "assess".  Trump and Fiorina have a business history to assess and the remainder of the candidates have political backgrounds.  While the attraction for a lot of people is Carson's lack of political experience, for me, it doesn't set well that the only background he has is that of a neurosurgeon; hardly qualification to be a president.  We have to trust him at his word, What Politico was trying to do was to find something to discredit his word.  He's written books and his books are under scrutiny.  Every GOP candidate will be under scrutiny by the media.

Yeah, I hate to admit it, but I fell for it too -- only because I've become completely jaded and cynical about the entire political process.

In my view, anybody who aspires to be the president is already a lunatic nutcase. To have to live in a bubble like that -- no thanks. The attraction is the power, of course, and I guess there are those who are fascinated by it. I am not, and I dare say that all normal human beings are not attracted to that kind of power. It's inherently dangerous.

So for those reaching for that power, they already have a screw loose, IMHO.

And it doesn't surprise me one iota that even somebody as harmless looking as Ben Carson might get caught up in a lie. Sooner or later, all politicians lie. It's part of the game.

This time, Politico winds up with egg on their face. Note to self: I'll not assume too much before rendering an opinion. 

[SVPete]

I for one fell for the Politico hype and hype of just about every media news source out there regarding this story about Carson.  ...

Yeah, I hate to admit it, but I fell for it too -- only because I've become completely jaded and cynical about the entire political process.

In my view, anybody who aspires to be the president is already a lunatic nutcase. ...

... Note to self: I'll not assume too much before rendering an opinion. 

Don't burn a second with recriminations. I thought it potentially plausible, but after MSM shenanigans like Memogate, Herman Cain's disappearing accuser, and the kerfuffle over Romney's dog being in a carrier on top of the family station wagon, my BS meter was registering mid-range even before seeing the debunking articles. When it comes too ethnic minorities with an R after their name I don't think it's impossible to be too skeptical of the MSM.

[Eupher]

Don't burn a second with recriminations. I thought it potentially plausible, but after MSM shenanigans like Memogate, Herman Cain's disappearing accuser, and the kerfuffle over Romney's dog being in a carrier on top of the family station wagon, my BS meter was registering mid-range even before seeing the debunking articles. When it comes too ethnic minorities with an R after their name I don't think it's impossible to be too skeptical of the MSM.

Let me put it this way -- nothing surprises me any more. And I mean nothing. Ben Carson is in bed with politicians now, which makes him one.

Lying is a way of life with that species.

[libertybele]

Let me put it this way -- nothing surprises me any more. And I mean nothing. Ben Carson is in bed with politicians now, which makes him one.

Lying is a way of life with that species.

Carson has claimed that he can't bought ... we shall see.  I would love to know who is voting base is.  Even if he was head of a department which would give him some managerial experience he certainly doesn't have ANY qualifications to be president.  What else do we actually no about him?  Nothing other than what he tells us.  For him to be polling so highly based purely on what he says and his lack of qualifications raises a lot of skepticism for me.

[txradioguy]

So where are all the Social Justice Warriors...the ACLU...NAACP and the #blacklivesmatter idiots rushing to this black man's defense after a couple white...privileged reporters slandered his good name and reputation?

Oh...wait...

[Lacarnut]

Carson has claimed that he can't bought ... we shall see.  I would love to know who is voting base is.  Even if he was head of a department which would give him some managerial experience he certainly doesn't have ANY qualifications to be president.  What else do we actually no about him?  Nothing other than what he tells us.  For him to be polling so highly based purely on what he says and his lack of qualifications raises a lot of skepticism for me.

Same here; plus would like to know who his big money backers are. He is too mild mannered for me. The Repubs need a ball buster like Trump or Cruz.

[Eupher]

Carson has claimed that he can't bought ... we shall see.  I would love to know who is voting base is.  Even if he was head of a department which would give him some managerial experience he certainly doesn't have ANY qualifications to be president.  What else do we actually no about him?  Nothing other than what he tells us.  For him to be polling so highly based purely on what he says and his lack of qualifications raises a lot of skepticism for me.

Every man has his price.

The appealing characteristic associated with Carson is he appears to be trustworthy. Obviously a very intelligent man who came from humble beginnings, he is a physician and a good one. A lot of appeal in that image to a lot of people.

I don't take anything away from the man, but I do question his ambition and his goals to become president. Why, Ben? Why you? Why not keep your surgical scrubs on and do what you've been trained to do?

That's the quality that hasn't really been answered -- along with his backers and big money providers.

Oh, and I don't believe Carson is an advocate for 2A. This is perhaps an area in which he's "evolved" or has outright lied.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/conservative-hero-ben-carson-to-beck-you-have-no-right-to-semi-automatic-weapons-in-large-cities/

[libertybele]

Every man has his price.

The appealing characteristic associated with Carson is he appears to be trustworthy. Obviously a very intelligent man who came from humble beginnings, he is a physician and a good one. A lot of appeal in that image to a lot of people.

I don't take anything away from the man, but I do question his ambition and his goals to become president. Why, Ben? Why you? Why not keep your surgical scrubs on and do what you've been trained to do?

That's the quality that hasn't really been answered -- along with his backers and big money providers.

Oh, and I don't believe Carson is an advocate for 2A. This is perhaps an area in which he's "evolved" or has outright lied.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/conservative-hero-ben-carson-to-beck-you-have-no-right-to-semi-automatic-weapons-in-large-cities/

He "lacks" as far as supporting the 2nd Amendment and I certainly don't see him as an advocate.

https://www.conservativereview.com/2016-presidential-candidates/candidates/ben-carson#article-13