Post Politics
Donald Trump: No apology for questioning Ben Carson’s Seventh-day Adventist faith
By Vanessa Williams October 25 at 1:12 PM
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Las Vegas on Oct. 8, 2015. (John Locher/AP)
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Sunday that he didn't say "anything bad" about rival Ben Carson being a Seventh-day Adventist and saw no reason to apologize for raising the issue during a recent campaign rally.
"I would certainly give an apology if I said something bad about it. But I didn't. All I said was I don't know about it," Trump said during an interview on ABC's "This Week," one of three Sunday talk shows in which the billionaire businessman talked about recent polls that showed Carson pulling ahead of him in Iowa.
Carson, in an interview on Fox News, noted that Trump "went ballistic" several weeks ago when Carson questioned Trump's faith. "So it seems a little interesting that he would now be doing that," Carson noted.
[Donald Trump seeks contrast with Ben Carson's Seventh-day Adventist faith]
In dueling appearances on the Sunday shows by the two top candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, Trump kept up his aggressive rhetoric about his political prowess and Carson continued his confident but low-key approach to the campaign.
Trump suggested in interviews on Sunday that he was a bit taken aback by polls that show Carson, whom he has criticized as lacking energy, pulling ahead of him in Iowa.
"I was really surprised to see it, because three nights ago, I was in Iowa. We had a packed house. We had 4,000 people, and it was a lovefest," Trump said in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union." "And I have done really well with the evangelicals and with the tea party and everything. And I just don't understand the number. But you know what? I accept the number. It means I have to work a little bit harder in Iowa."
Carson, in an interview on Fox News, attributed his surge in Iowa to "the power of social media and of word of mouth because as you know ... a lot of the media has it in for me. But, you know, if people listen to them, you know, I would be polling at less than zero."
And he declined to get strike back at Trump, who said during a rally in Florida on Saturday, "I'm Presbyterian. Boy, that's down the middle of the road, folks, in all fairness. I mean, Seventh-day Adventist, I don't know about. I just don't know about."
[Ben Carson: I don't want to get into a 'gladiator fight' with Donald Trump]
Carson passed when Fox News anchor Chris Wallace reminded him of that comment, as well as Trump's criticisms about his rival's energy level and his stand on immigration.
"I really refuse to really get into the mud pit," Carson said, adding that Trump "is who he is. I don't think that's going to change. And I am who I am. That's not going to change, either."
He continued: "And the way I kind of look at it, if people resonate what I'm talking about ... And if they like that, and it works with them, and they feel I'm the good representative for them, that's great. I would love to have their vote. And if they don't want me, that's fine, too. Because I would never lie just to get an office. I wouldn't be happy, and the people wouldn't be happy."
Last month Carson drew Trump's ire when he explained that the difference between him and the former reality TV show star was that “I’ve realized where my success has come from, and I don’t in any way deny my faith in God.” Carson also drew criticism last month when he said he would not support a Muslim for president.
Carson, who has gotten high marks for likability from grass-roots Republican Party activists, continues to struggle to explain his policy positions. Wallace spent several minutes trying to get him to clearly articulate his plan for personal health-care accounts, which Carson has suggested could replace Medicare for some older Americans.
Wallace kept saying that Carson was not being clear about whether and how much the government would contribute to the accounts and whether such accounts are simply a new form of Medicare.
"If we take those same dollars and divert them into a system that gives you control over your home health care, you and your health-care provider cut out the middle man, the bureaucracy. Those dollars go much further. We won't have to use many of them. The dollars are already there, Chris," Carson said.
Wallace seemed unconvinced and ended by interview by saying: "Well, this is interesting, obviously, to be continued.... With more prominence in the polls, more discussion of your proposal."
Trump, in his "This Week" interview, said he agreed with Carson's proposal.
"I'm okay with the savings accounts. I think it's a good idea; it's a very down-the-middle idea. It works. It's something that's proven," he said.
Vanessa Williams is a staff writer at The Post. Contact her atVanessa.Williams@washpost.com.
Donald Trump: No apology for questioning Ben Carson’s Seventh-day Adventist faith
By Vanessa Williams October 25 at 1:12 PM
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Las Vegas on Oct. 8, 2015. (John Locher/AP)
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Sunday that he didn't say "anything bad" about rival Ben Carson being a Seventh-day Adventist and saw no reason to apologize for raising the issue during a recent campaign rally.
"I would certainly give an apology if I said something bad about it. But I didn't. All I said was I don't know about it," Trump said during an interview on ABC's "This Week," one of three Sunday talk shows in which the billionaire businessman talked about recent polls that showed Carson pulling ahead of him in Iowa.
Carson, in an interview on Fox News, noted that Trump "went ballistic" several weeks ago when Carson questioned Trump's faith. "So it seems a little interesting that he would now be doing that," Carson noted.
[Donald Trump seeks contrast with Ben Carson's Seventh-day Adventist faith]
In dueling appearances on the Sunday shows by the two top candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, Trump kept up his aggressive rhetoric about his political prowess and Carson continued his confident but low-key approach to the campaign.
Trump suggested in interviews on Sunday that he was a bit taken aback by polls that show Carson, whom he has criticized as lacking energy, pulling ahead of him in Iowa.
"I was really surprised to see it, because three nights ago, I was in Iowa. We had a packed house. We had 4,000 people, and it was a lovefest," Trump said in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union." "And I have done really well with the evangelicals and with the tea party and everything. And I just don't understand the number. But you know what? I accept the number. It means I have to work a little bit harder in Iowa."
Carson, in an interview on Fox News, attributed his surge in Iowa to "the power of social media and of word of mouth because as you know ... a lot of the media has it in for me. But, you know, if people listen to them, you know, I would be polling at less than zero."
And he declined to get strike back at Trump, who said during a rally in Florida on Saturday, "I'm Presbyterian. Boy, that's down the middle of the road, folks, in all fairness. I mean, Seventh-day Adventist, I don't know about. I just don't know about."
[Ben Carson: I don't want to get into a 'gladiator fight' with Donald Trump]
Carson passed when Fox News anchor Chris Wallace reminded him of that comment, as well as Trump's criticisms about his rival's energy level and his stand on immigration.
"I really refuse to really get into the mud pit," Carson said, adding that Trump "is who he is. I don't think that's going to change. And I am who I am. That's not going to change, either."
He continued: "And the way I kind of look at it, if people resonate what I'm talking about ... And if they like that, and it works with them, and they feel I'm the good representative for them, that's great. I would love to have their vote. And if they don't want me, that's fine, too. Because I would never lie just to get an office. I wouldn't be happy, and the people wouldn't be happy."
Last month Carson drew Trump's ire when he explained that the difference between him and the former reality TV show star was that “I’ve realized where my success has come from, and I don’t in any way deny my faith in God.” Carson also drew criticism last month when he said he would not support a Muslim for president.
Carson, who has gotten high marks for likability from grass-roots Republican Party activists, continues to struggle to explain his policy positions. Wallace spent several minutes trying to get him to clearly articulate his plan for personal health-care accounts, which Carson has suggested could replace Medicare for some older Americans.
Wallace kept saying that Carson was not being clear about whether and how much the government would contribute to the accounts and whether such accounts are simply a new form of Medicare.
"If we take those same dollars and divert them into a system that gives you control over your home health care, you and your health-care provider cut out the middle man, the bureaucracy. Those dollars go much further. We won't have to use many of them. The dollars are already there, Chris," Carson said.
Wallace seemed unconvinced and ended by interview by saying: "Well, this is interesting, obviously, to be continued.... With more prominence in the polls, more discussion of your proposal."
Trump, in his "This Week" interview, said he agreed with Carson's proposal.
"I'm okay with the savings accounts. I think it's a good idea; it's a very down-the-middle idea. It works. It's something that's proven," he said.
Vanessa Williams is a staff writer at The Post. Contact her atVanessa.Williams@washpost.com.
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