The question from Carson’s fan base was obvious, “Why aren’t you taking Ben Carson’s presidential campaign seriously?” when not even a moment later Carson announced “he was putting all public campaign events on hold for a two-week book tour”.
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ABC explained the nuanced situation in which Carson is trying to carefully separate campaign events and the book tour, which means Carson won’t be at anything labeled a “campaign event”, although he will do fundraising.
Carson now has book tour stops scheduled next week in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa, during which he will – regardless of the technical status of his campaign – be able to talk to potential voters.
Carson’s next public campaign appearance will be on October 28, the day of the next Republican debate.
The book proceeds are personal, and are not connected to Dr. Carson’s presidential campaign, however the campaign does note they are indirectly making money off the book and views its release during a time when he is polling so high as beneficial. Conservative Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin made her disdain known on Twitter today, writing that this move only “reinforced suspicion” that Carson was only running for President to boost book sales and speaking fees. For the prosecution, Red State’s Leon Wolf: You tell me that there is any other way to interpret this information.
Carson’s last public event was a health care town hall meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, on October 2.
Ben Carson, what in the ever-living heck are you doing? What could two weeks of a book tour do for him that two weeks of public campaign appearances – which also operate as promos for his book given that they drum up interest in him and his views – couldn’t? I think Carson’s motives in doing this might be pure, but as a simple PR matter, it’s inexplicable. A cautionary tale for Carson, perhaps? I don’t necessarily concur with Leon’s conclusion that Carson, an honorable man in my book, is revealing himself to be a self-promoting grifter looking to make a buck off of his raised profile. He has not had to put forth much in the way of serious, detailed policy proposals, and he is still polling around 20 percent (the next-closest candidate in most polls, Marco Rubio, is hovering around 10 percent). It’s about priorities and judgment.
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The Republican Party has become a “a midterm party” that struggles with the presidential elections.
