In an interview with Chuck Todd on MSNB C ‘s Meet the Press , Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson said Donald Trump’s surge in the Republican polls is “a tremendous help” because people talk less about his own “lack of political experience.”
“It’s a tremendous help. It’s a tremendous aid because fewer people are talking about my lack of political experience now. And that’s good because, you know, experience can come from a variety of different places. And certainly the life that you have led, you know, in my case, you know, solving complex problems, being involved in corporate America, starting a national nonprofit, you get an enormous amount of experience doing these things, particularly in solving problems. And, you know, it’s an erroneous thought that only political experience is expedient.”
Carson was then asked if he worries about how the “loudest voices” are only heard in the current media climate.
“I think traditionally that is true. I believe that something different will happen in 2016. Because I think the majority of people in America realize we’re going off the track in the wrong direction. And unless we become serious, and really start paying attention this is going to continue, whether it’s Democrats or Republicans.”
Carson was then asked about the Black Lives Matter movement, which he called “silly.”
“Well you know I don’t recall calling it silly, what I called silly is political correctness going amuck — that’s what’s silly. When you know, I guess it was Martin O’Malley, who said ‘Black lives matter, white lives matter.’ He got in trouble for that and had to apologize. That’s what I’m talking about is silly. Of course all lives matter and of course we should be very concerned about what’s going on particularly in our inner-cities. It’s a crime, for you know, a young black man who’s likely cause of death is homicide. That is a huge problem that we need to address in a very serious way.”
For the record, O’Malley actually said, “all lives matter.” Todd refocused on the Black Lives Matter movement by asking Carson’s thoughts on African Americans being more likely to die in police custody.
“Yeah, but again I think we need to look at the whole picture. One of the things that I always like to point out to people is how about we just remove the police for 24 hours. Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue? The vast majority of police are very good people, are there bad apples? Of course.”
Watch the full interview with Carson on Meet the Press below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=146i3WYWIwY
[Image via Joe Raedle/Getty Images]