Rising conservative star Ben Carson said no matter how you slice it, Rep. Charlie Rangel’s labeling of tea partyers as “crackers” is derogatory.
Mr. Carson’s comments came in response to the New York Democrat’s attempt to explain that his 2013 toss at tea party members as “crackers” was simply a term of “endearment,” during an interview with The Huffington Post.
Mr. Carson, former chief of pediatric neurosurgery at John’s Hopkins Children’s Center, disagreed with that explanation.
“Well of course it’s derogatory, as many of the terms are,” he said during an interview on “The Steve Malzberg Show” on Newsmax TV.
Mr. Carson also said that Mr. Rangel’s so-called explanation fit right in with the tutorials offered in Saul Alinsky’s “Rules of Radicals” book.
“In reading ’Rules for Radicals’ by Saul Alinsky, he emphasizes that you shouldn’t have discussion with those you disagree with because that would humiliate them,” Mr. Carson said, Newsmax reported. “All you need to do is demonize them. And that’s what they do — spend time demonizing each other. It’s silly.”
SEE ALSO: Charlie Rangel: Calling tea partyers ‘white crackers’ actually ‘term of endearment’
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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