Ben Carson just backed Donald Trump in one of the most bizarre “endorsement” speeches that you’ll ever hear.
Why bizarre?
Because throughout the press appearance, he struck a backhanded complimentary tone, referring to “two Donald Trumps” as well as calling the real estate mogul “a bit of an iconoclast.”
If you’re not familiar with the word “iconoclast,” it’s usually not used in a positive light, which will become clear as you look up the definition, which according to Merriam-Webster is “a person who criticizes or opposes beliefs that are widely accepted.”
A couple of alternate definitions include “a person who destroys religious images or opposes their veneration” and “a person who attacks settled beliefs and institutions.”
Coming from a guy like Ben Carson, who is openly Christian and religiously-driven, it was about as backhanded of a compliment as you could get, causing one reporter to chime in with a question of whether Carson had let go of some of the criticisms that he and Trump exchanged during the campaign trail.
In another boldly provocative move, Ben Carson indicated that Trump had apologized to him for some of the things that he’d said on the trail, and that had influenced Carson’s decision to endorse Trump.
This is a potential blow against the Donald, considering that he prides himself on being the type of guy who doesn’t apologize for anything.
Also, when following through on his comment that there are “two Donald Trumps,” Carson sounded genuinely shocked that there is a “cerebral” side of the candidate that you see “in the debates and on stage.”
The implication: Trump is an embarrassment, yes, but there is another side to the man you don’t get to see!
Not exactly a glowing recommendation.
https://youtu.be/y-fFTlup4P4?t=14m25s
In another bizarre turn for Trump, when he took the mic back from Ben Carson, he quietly and humbly dismissed everyone without the usual flare or bombast indicative of his personality or campaign tactics.
You get a sense from watching the entire uncomfortable press conference that Trump immediately regretted the Ben Carson endorsement.
Of course, a look at Trump’s Twitter account in the last 30 minutes would dispute that, but then, Trump has been a master at downplaying some of his more negative media appearances and attacking the campaign trail with a momentum and a beneficial forgetfulness that rubs off on his followers.
It’s unlikely that the presser will do anything to hurt the impact of Trump’s campaign on the U.S., or the impact of having Ben Carson formally endorse his candidacy.
After all, it is only one incident.
But if it’s true that Carson plans to hit the campaign trail and officially “stump for Trump,” several more performances like this one could begin wearing thin on the Donald’s patience.
In other parts of Friday’s press conference, Ben Carson explained that his endorsement for Trump was really driven by “We the People,” or what the Republican voters wanted, and the belief that Trump is the best bet of stopping Hillary Clinton in November.
As for his spat with Ted Cruz, which was initiated when a Cruz campaigner implied Carson was dropping out when he wasn’t, Ben Carson remarked that he had forgiven Cruz completely “because it is my duty as a Christian.”
It’s unclear how this Ben Carson recommendation for Trump will shake out in the polls, but for now, he is the firm frontrunner.
The next GOP primary will be held on Saturday, March 12, and will include the state of Wyoming and Washington, D.C. — 45 delegates altogether.
And on Tuesday, March 15, several key states will be on the line with Florida (99 delegates), Illinois (69 delegates), Missouri (52 delegates), North Carolina (72 delegates), and Ohio (66 delegates).
What did you think of the Ben Carson Trump endorsement, and will it help or hurt the Donald in the next primaries?
[Image via Ben Carson Facebook ]
