Former U.S. Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson on Friday announced his endorsement for Donald Trump, a move that could boost the GOP front-runner’s support among conservatives and evangelicals amid desperate efforts by the party establishment to derail Trump. Carson, a nice guy but political neophyte, today endorsed Trump, who he called an “intelligent man who cares deeply about America”.
Advertisement
Carson made the announcement at a joint news conference with Trump in Florida, ahead of that state’s primary on Tuesday.
The retired neurosurgeon who dropped out of the Republican race last week said there are “two Donald Trumps:” The one you see on stage, and the more “cerebral”, private person who will start to emerge as the fall campaign approaches.
That was all it took for Twitter to kick into gear. He knows the main chance when he sees it, and right now Trump offers him the best prospect of staying in the spotlight and selling more books.
“I do disagree with him from a policy standpoint”, adds Blackwell, who also serves as senior adviser and principle spokesperson for the Our Principles PAC.
Lynne Sladky/AP Conservative pundits are likely to use Carson as a buffer for Trump’s hateful, bigoted message.
Trump began his presidential run as a long shot but has won a string of early primary contests to become clear front-runner.
During the campaign, especially when Carson was experiencing a brief boomlet in the polls, Trump clashed with the doctor-turned-presidential-candidate, comparing him to a child molester, questioning his religion, and calling him “super low energy” – a favorite Trump insult. “Donald Trump has earned these voters”. Perhaps there are two Donald trumps, but well, you know, I’m somebody that is a thinker. Fielding questions from reporters for about 45 minutes, Trump said he is hopeful about clinching the nomination by getting 1,237 delegates and avoid a situation in which the nominee is chosen at the Republican convention over the summer. “Ben’s going to have a big, big part”, he said.
Asked if Carson was a potential running mate to Trump, Carson said, “We have not talked specifically about a role other than being involved”.
Advertisement
Trump also mercilessly taunted and mocked him on the campaign trail, particularly over Carson’s claim that he once tried to stab a fellow student but that the boy’s belt buckle prevented the knife from breaking the skin. “He’s got a pathological temper”, Trump said.
