The Ben Carson surge, explained

[HassleCat]

Andrew Prokop has an article for Vox.com. http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ben-carson-has-surged-into-second-place-behind-trump-here%e2%80%99s-why/ar-AAe13MD?ocid=iehp

Prokop’s explanation of why Ben Carson is “surging” (remember the media like to invent trends) is basically that Carson is the adult in the room. Prokop has a list of Carson assets: biography, positive attitude, outsider status, appeal to religious fundamentalists, and a position on race that is comfortable for white people. There are some comments, presumably from elderly white people, about how Carson would help black people take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities that await them. You really should go to the link if you want to see naïve. In spite of Prokop’s list of Carson’s selling points, it’s pretty clear his major appeal, perhaps his only real appeal, is his conservative message on race, and his attacks on those who seek to exploit racial issues to divide the country. He doesn’t name these sinister forces, so his audience can fill in the blanks with whatever name or image they prefer.

[underpants]

1. Good read. Polls are fine but will they vote for their "Black Friend" is the question

From the article - his response at the debate (had disappeared for the most part) was protection. Fox News is openly fanning the flames of racism, thus the Summer of Trump, but Carson followed the cue to blame Obama and THAT was what the audience wanted to hear because they have heard it so often in Fox.

[Doingto]

2. He still trails Trump by large margins

His growth is being exaggerated. Besides, Jeb has plummetted because conservatives think he's a moderate. So their support had to go somewhere.

[Gothmog]

3. The GOP will never nominate Ben Carson

[SummerSnow]

4. You are 100% right

[Gothmog]

9. I can imagine some GOP heads exploding in Texas if Carson was the nominee

Racism is alive and well inside the Texas GOP

[Quixote1818]

6. Agree. nt

[Vinca]

5. I think there is only 1 reason Carson is surging in Iowa: the fundy factor.

Remember the turnout for Bachmann?

[SoCalDem]

7. He's the "See-we-are-not-racists" candidate

Republican leadership LOVES "the token"..

They understand that the token is always appreciated by the lower intellectuals of the party.

There are always people who are willing to sell themselves a la Clarence Thomas

[politicaljunkie41910]

8. They also appreciate the fact that he bashed President Obama at the Annual Prayer Breakfast.

It was his "You Lie" moment which I guess he got the idea from former GOP Rep. Joe Wilson. Yes, Carson earned his bonafides with the white GOP hatemongers that day. Up until that moment, the National Prayer Breakfast had remained a non-partisian event where members from different sides of the aisle could come together in a moment of unity and civility. Carson, who was an invited guest, seized it as a moment to make a name for himself by attacking the President who was sitting two seats away from where Carson gave a speech, in order to score points with the GOP. As if President Obama was going to stoop to his level by getting into a wrestling match with him at a Prayer Breakfast. For that reason, I would never vote for him even if his name were the only one on the ballot.

[n2doc]

10. I have seen floated the idea that Trump can make up for Hispanic losses by gaining AA votes

The theory is that African Americans are just as anti-immigrant as whites so they will jump on his side. There are a number of issues with that theory but I could see Carson being pushed as a vp/cabinet member to try and test that theory.

Carson is just as nuts as trump, maybe more so since he is a card carrying member of the American Taliban. Anyone who wants to blow up immigrants with drone strikes should be immediately disqualified from any office.