Greg Sargent Dismisses the Importance of Carson's Biographical Lies

This morning I suggested that Carson may come through this fine or even better than fine.

http://lastmenandovermen.blogspot.com/2015/11/is-all-negative-scrutiny-actually.html

For one thing, it makes him a victim in the eyes of many religious and social conservatives who just chalk this up to a biased 'secular, progressive press.' Rush Limbaugh sees it all as nothing but a media smear.

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2015/11/09/the_latest_on_the_ben_carson_smear'

There are an awful lot of conservatives defending Carson. Mr. Neoconservative Establishment himself, Bill Kristol, now says it may be time to reconsider Ben Carson. Interestingly he stands by his earlier dismissal of Trump.

This morning Joe Scarborough and Hugh Hewitt were in sharp disagreement on Carson. Hewitt is going with a common refrain from the Right in the last few days that Carson has been subjected to very unfair, indeed, unprecedented negative scrutiny.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2015/11/09/joe_scarborough_blasts_hugh_hewitt_for_defending_carson_from_media_dont_embarass_yourself_you_owe_me_an_apology.html

Paul Waldman observes that the Establishment is not going after Trump the way they-unsuccessfully-went after Trump.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2015/11/09/joe_scarborough_blasts_hugh_hewitt_for_defending_carson_from_media_dont_embarass_yourself_you_owe_me_an_apology.html

But if you really want to get at why I think-for now at least-Carson may skate, look at what Waldman's Plum Line partner, Greg Sargent is saying. He thinks that the muddy water on much of Ben Carson's biography is not big deal.

There's no reason to be surprised about a little embellishment, Sargent seems to think. It's one thing to hear talk like this from Hewitt and Rush. But from Greg Sargent? That's rather eye-opening.

Some parts of his personal story are irrelevant, but others should make us very worried.
Ben Carson has weird ideas and makes stuff up. What kind of president would he be?"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/11/06/ben-carson-has-weird-ideas-and-makes-stuff-up-what-kind-of-president-would-he-be/

I thnk he's a little close to jump from the first observation to the question. 

1. Carson's biography is more relevant than that of most candidates as he has no actual political experience. The main thing we have are his books. They are what made his candidacy possible. 

2. It's not just the lies but the kind of lies. Bill Clinton lying about having sex with that woman is understandable. 

Ben's lies take us to a Bizarro world where he's angry with the media not for saying he has a violent past but for denying that he does. What is striking about Ben's lies is how frequent they are and how strange their nature. They are truly Bizarro lies

But Sargent is clearly sticking to this rather odd meme today.

"Carson's spiritual triumph over adversity is what matters. Never mind the details."Ben Carson may have made up parts of ‘Yale hoax’ story. But it might still be true, anyway."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/11/09/ben-carson-may-have-made-up-parts-of-yale-hoax-story-but-it-might-still-be-true-anyway/

So that Dr. Ben makes up wild stories with no basis in fact is not a worry apparently for Sargent. 

This is why Carson may well skate on this for now. I mean if no less than Greg Sargent-a card carrying member of the liberal media if there ever were one-says it's a nothinburger then it's a nothingburger. 

We'll see what the polls say. The only one going after Ben on all this is Trump. It will be interesting to see if this effects either of their poll numbers positively or negatively.