14 unusual statements Ben Carson made on the campaign trail
Donald Trump recently nominated retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson to serve as secretary of Housing and Urban Development, but remember when he was Trump's rival for the Republican presidential nomination? Carson got a lot of attention during his campaign for discussing topics that typical politicians wouldn't touch. Here are 14 of his most notable quotes.
Ben Carson on sexuality being a choice.
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Carson made this statement during an interview on CNN in March 2015 after being asked about whether people choose to be gay. He later apologized.
Ben Carson on Muslims being president.
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Carson discussed religion as a qualification for the presidency while on Meet the Press, Sept. 20, 2015.
Carson on abortion in the black community.
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Carson made these statements while talking about Planned Parenthood on "The O'Reilly Factor" on Aug. 13, 2015. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease, cancer and stroke are the leading causes of death for African-Americans.
Ben Carson on the Second Amendment.
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Ben Carson posted this on his Facebook page on Oct. 5, 2015, in response to a question about whether the shooting at an Oregon college had altered his position on the Second Amendment.
Ben Carson on the Nazis and gun control.
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In an interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN in early October 2015, Carson explained that he thought the Holocaust would have been "greatly diminished" if more people had been armed.
Ben Carson on his violent past.
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During an interview with Meet the Press, October 25, 2015, Carson said, "As a teenager, I would go after people with rocks, and bricks, and baseball bats, and hammers. And, of course, many people know the story when I was 14 and I tried to stab someone." This was in response to Donald Trump saying he was "low energy."
Ben Carson on abortion and slavery.
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In the same Oct. 25, 2015, Meet the Press appearance, Carson compared allowing women to get abortions to slavery.
Ben Carson on Obamacare.
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That October interview wasn't the first time Carson compared modern issues to slavery. In a speech to conservative activists in 2013, he made this statement saying Obamacare was "the worst thing that has happened in this nation since slavery."
Ben Carson on the pyramids.
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This comment also was made before Carson decided to run for president. During a commencement address in 1998 at Andrews University in Michigan, Carson explained his own personal theory on the pyramids.
Ben Carson on his temper as a teenager.
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At a campaign event in October 2015, Carson discussed how he turned his troubled youth into a very successful career.
Ben Carson on the Founding Fathers.
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Carson made this statement on his Facebook page. In reality, about half of the signers of the Declaration of Independence had been elected members of colonial assemblies. His campaign spokesman later acknowledged the error to The Washington Post.
Ben Carson on monitoring mosques.
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National security has been one of the most talked about issues on the campaign trail since the Nov. 13, 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris. Donald Trump received a lot of negative feedback after saying he would monitor mosques and created a database to track Muslims. This was Carson's take on the issue.
Ben Carson on his West Point scholarship.
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In his book, "Gifted Hands," Carson wrote about receiving a full scholarship to West Point. "I didn't refuse the scholarship outright, but I let them know that a military career wasn't where I saw myself going. As overjoyed as I felt to be offered such a scholarship, I wasn't really tempted." He stands by his statements, despite claims that his story isn't accurate and that West Point doesn't offer scholarships, although they do have "appointments" that include tuition, room and board, and expenses.
Ben Carson on blocking potential terrorists posing as Syrian refugees.
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Carson made this comment at a campaign stop in Alabama in mid-November 2015. He later said that reporters misrepresented his remarks. "This is the kind of thing that they do," he said.
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Carson on abortion in the black community.
- AP photo
Carson made these statements while talking about Planned Parenthood on "The O'Reilly Factor" on Aug. 13, 2015. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease, cancer and stroke are the leading causes of death for African-Americans.
Ben Carson on his violent past.
- AP photo
During an interview with Meet the Press, October 25, 2015, Carson said, "As a teenager, I would go after people with rocks, and bricks, and baseball bats, and hammers. And, of course, many people know the story when I was 14 and I tried to stab someone." This was in response to Donald Trump saying he was "low energy."
Ben Carson on Obamacare.
- AP photo
That October interview wasn't the first time Carson compared modern issues to slavery. In a speech to conservative activists in 2013, he made this statement saying Obamacare was "the worst thing that has happened in this nation since slavery."
Ben Carson on the Founding Fathers.
- AP photo
Carson made this statement on his Facebook page. In reality, about half of the signers of the Declaration of Independence had been elected members of colonial assemblies. His campaign spokesman later acknowledged the error to The Washington Post.
Ben Carson on monitoring mosques.
- AP photo
National security has been one of the most talked about issues on the campaign trail since the Nov. 13, 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris. Donald Trump received a lot of negative feedback after saying he would monitor mosques and created a database to track Muslims. This was Carson's take on the issue.
Ben Carson on his West Point scholarship.
- AP photo
In his book, "Gifted Hands," Carson wrote about receiving a full scholarship to West Point. "I didn't refuse the scholarship outright, but I let them know that a military career wasn't where I saw myself going. As overjoyed as I felt to be offered such a scholarship, I wasn't really tempted." He stands by his statements, despite claims that his story isn't accurate and that West Point doesn't offer scholarships, although they do have "appointments" that include tuition, room and board, and expenses.
Ben Carson on blocking potential terrorists posing as Syrian refugees.
- AP photo
Carson made this comment at a campaign stop in Alabama in mid-November 2015. He later said that reporters misrepresented his remarks. "This is the kind of thing that they do," he said.
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