Ben Carson reached out Tuesday to his fellow Republican presidential candidates with a plea for civility, trying to prevent the next debate from beaming a repeat of the ruckus in Houston last week.
“This race has taken a turn for the worse, to the point of embarrassment on the world stage,” Mr. Carson said in a statement. “A house divided cannot stand, and it is imperative the Republican Party exhibit unity by the candidates coming together with a pledge to talk about the many serious problems facing our country, instead of personally attacking each other.”
He called for an end to “sophomoric attacks.”
The retired neurosurgeon said that he had contacted the other four GOP candidates and requested a meeting before the debate Wednesday in Detroit, hoping to agree on a code of conduct for the event.
At the last debate, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas viciously sparred with billionaire businessman Donald Trump. Mr. Carson’s most memorable line form that debate was asking, “Would someone attack me,” as he struggled to get airtime.
“If we are to defeat our democratic opponent in the general election this November, we must reach an agreement together each other that we will not succumb to the media’s desire for a fight on the stage in Detroit,” Mr. Carson added. “I am confident that the five remaining candidates can rise above the sophomoric attacks of past encounters and have a serious discussion about substantive issues and how we will lead our nation forward toward a more prosperous and secure future.”
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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