He wouldn’t declare a political party or admit to making any plans for a 2016 presidential run, but Dr. Ben Carson assured a wildly supportive audience at a National Press Club luncheon Wednesday that he has no plans to fade from the political scene.
The retired neurosurgeon and Washington Times columnist, who has already sparked an independent presidential draft movement, said he had been looking forward to playing golf and learning new languages after hanging up his scalpel, but said it appears now “God has different plans for me.”
The comment drew a standing ovation and raucous applause from those who attended the luncheon. Dr. Carson was joined by his wife, Candy, at the event, which was one stop on a national tour promoting his book, “One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save America’s Future.”
Dr. Carson rose to political prominence last year after having been invited to speak at the National Prayer Breakfast. The author and speaker also attended CPAC earlier this year, placing third in the 2014 Washington Times/CPAC Presidential Straw Poll with 9 percent of the vote.
Dr. Carson played coy about committing to any national party, saying he has in the past been a “flaming liberal Democrat” as well as a “very conservative Republican,” noting he’s currently an independent.
“We have to remember that we are Americans first,” he said. “Not that we are Democrats. Not that we are Republicans. Not that we are Independents.”
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Dr. Carson said he “doesn’t care” who supports him so long as he has the support of God.
“One of the reasons this nation rose to the pinnacle of the world so fast is that we live by godly principles, loving your fellow man, … of having values and principles that govern your life,” he said. “If we can regain that then we truly will have one nation under God, indivisible for liberty and justice for all.”
• Kristen East can be reached at keast@washingtontimes.com.
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