Did I miss something about Dr. Ben Carson?

[Bicoastal]

Even from a Republican standpoint, he has plenty of experience as a doctor but absolutely zero--zip--nada in public office. So far, he's made exactly one well-publicized speech and made people on our side furious with comments about gay marriage. Why would that qualify him to be the nominee for President of the US, as practically every conservative pundit has anointed him?

If things were flipped around and he was a Democratic rising star, they'd already be accusing him of being grossly unqualified for the White House and maybe throw the old Affirmative Action charge at him. Am I being cynical, or is the GOP so desperate for demographics they're basically going "A successful non-threatening minority who's actually on our side?! KING HIM! KING HIM NOW!!"

[Blue_Tires]

1. Not that it would happen, but I guess in theory

If they let Carson run as some 3rd party fringe, he could siphon off a piece of the black vote...

[Walk away]

4. I think he is more likely to siphon off the Creationist vote.

He's some kind of autistic Fundie!

[bigtree]

2. worse

. . . he's an asshole and a nimrod who will NEVER get the republican nomination. Their primaries bring out the worst of their bigoted base.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. They don't have anybody else

that doesn't seem to be some hideous combination of mean, stupid and crazy. Carson is a doctor with a solid reputation and an admirable life story -- apart from his appalling attitude toward gay people, of course. And he's black, which gives the GOPers the opportunity to say, "See, we really aren't knuckle-dragging racists! We have a black brain surgeon!" The fact that he has exactly zero political experience is unimportant because ERMAHGERD he's a conservative black brain surgeon!! He's a doctor! And did we mention, he's black? And he's not mean, stupid or crazy, except for that thing he said about gay marriage being the same as making pedophilia legal or something like that but let's not go there.

Yes, they're desperate. But Ben Carson will not be their candidate, (a) he's black - and the GOP "base" is already eager to get the current n****** out of the White House and not just because he's a Democrat, and (b) they'll pick somebody who really is mean, stupid and crazy because that's who they are.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

5. Brilliant doctor - otherwise complete nut

- favors a flat tax based on the biblical tithe of 10%

- doesn't believe in evolution and in an article in the Adventist Review calls those who believe it unethical and immoral (in other words he's intolerant of opposing views to his own religious ones).

- wants to end all government provided welfare, food stamps and public assistance and thinks that only religious charities should be relied upon for this: "Nobody is starving on the streets. We've always taken care of them. We take care of our own; we always have. It is not the government's responsibility"

- wants to privatize medicare and create vouchers or health savings accounts

- told Neil Cavuto that he would run for office if God called on him to run

- an avowed 7th Day Adventist who doesn't believe in dancing or seeing movies. From what I understand, Adventists believe in a literal interpretation of the bible that the universe was created in only six days, 6,000 years ago

And of course there's his unfortunately nutty comments about gay people, lumping them in with pedophiles or those practicing bestiality. He may win over the right wing extremists but he's an Ayn Randian with an added extreme religious dimension and I just don't see how he can be a viable national candidate.

[nessa]

6. They see lack of experience in public office as a plus. (nt)

.

[Initech]

7. He's another Fox News douchebag doctor.

Keith Ablow is loathsome enough (who I'm really surprised hasn't lost his psychiatry license yet with the way he treats LGBT people), now they give another homophobic, bigoted doctor a TV platform.

[AnnieBW]

8. He's Herman Cain with an MD

I'm sure that Dr. Carson is a brilliant doctor, or he wouldn't be at Johns Hopkins. The problem is that he should stick to medicine and not politics.