Et Tu, Ben Carson?

 

 

And the winner of Ben Carson’s endorsement is… WHAT?!?

“As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout
So is a beautiful woman (or a good man – Ed.) who lacks discretion.” — Proverbs 11:22 (NASB)

I have to say, while I’m disappointed that Carson is endorsing Donald Trump for President, after the initial shock, I’m not entirely surprised.

First of all, after the campaign antics of Ted Cruz’s campaign, I’ve heard rumors that Ben Carson doesn’t think Cruz is as innocent or as honorable as Cruz says he is. I tend to agree with Carson on that one.

For Carson, my bet is that Kasich, while obviously the adult in the room, is simply too soft on social issues for Ben Carson. And former Tea Party darling Rubio has proven too pliable in play.

But why Trump? Why not just withhold any endorsement? Well, in the article below, Carson undergirds a theory I’ve had since about last September: Trump is not the simpleton he makes himself out to be. He’s simply playing the simpleton to gain the simpletons.

It occurred to me at the end of last summer that Trump could not possibly be the uncontrolled blowhard across the business table that he is on the campaign trail. If he were, he wouldn’t be the success he is.

Certainly Trump has shot plenty of misfires over the years — successful businessmen aren’t afraid to take risks — but the bottom line is, Trump obviously has some business acumen, or he couldn’t have convinced so many partners to plaster his name all over so many products, services, and properties, and he couldn’t have parlayed a few million dollars into many times more net worth than his other three remaining competitors combined have made in their lifetimes. If you think that once a millionaire, always a millionaire, look up a few lottery winners from ten years ago and find yourself enlightened.

Trump has already indicated in interviews that being the President would require a different comportment that being a candidate, and that he would make that shift when the time came. I think it’s entirely possible that Donald Trump is smarter and more diplomatic that his campaign persona suggests. But so what? Hillary Clinton is smart. Barack Obama is diplomatic. Good leadership takes more than that. It takes character. It takes integrity. 

My problem is, I just don’t want a person willing to play to the lowest common denominator ever running our country, because a leader who will do that purposefully and repeatedly on the campaign trail will do the same when push comes to shove in the Oval Office. That kind of leader has been the bane of world peace, progress, decency, and liberty for all of recorded history. That kind of leader has cost us millions of human lives. We can’t take that chance again. First impressions count. Trump has given us his, loud and clear. 

There may be other factors in Mr. Carson’s decision. I think Carson is badly mistaken, though, and frankly, being played. I certainly hope he’s never wanting to run for office again, because to principled, conservative evangelicals, his good judgment has been indelibly stained by this endorsement. His best bet is a political appointment. Is that why?

Donald Trump obviously believes everyone has a price.  Et Tu, Ben Carson? Say it ain’t so, Ben. Say it ain’t so.