Republican presidential hopeful Ben Carson on Monday attempted to fight off the perception that he is a "weak" candidate simply because he's a "nice guy." Speaking before an audience in New Hampshire at a gathering by Americans for Peace, Prosperity, and Security, Carson argued that only a strong leader could have a list of accomplishments as long as his.
“You know, I am realistic to understand that that’s the reason that my poll numbers have taken a dip,” Politico reported Carson as saying. The retired neurosurgeon's polling numbers have dropped down to 9 percent, according to a Fox News poll released Friday. “Because people think that I’m a nice guy. I am a nice guy, but that doesn’t mean that you’re not tough. It doesn’t mean that you don’t have strength.”
Over the last few months, Carson has been criticized for being weak because of his quiet demeanor but also because of his lack of experience on immigration and foreign policy, the latter of which he tried to bolster by making a trip to Jordan to visit with refugees and aid workers on the ground.
“You know, I can learn. You know, I can listen,” he said, Politico reported. “And I also have wisdom and I also pray and ask God for wisdom. Those, I think, are much more important than multiple years in the political sphere. And I can tell you there are a lot of people in Washington, D.C., who’ve been there for decades and I wouldn’t let them tie my shoe.”
Instead, Carson pivoted to his achievements as the proper way to measure strength. "That’s what really denotes strength — your life’s accomplishments, not how loud you talk," Carson said.
Although Carson did not mention him by name, Donald Trump was a major contributor to the perception that Carson is weak. In an October interview, Trump said that Carson, who briefly took the lead in one poll, is "very, very weak on immigration" and "believes in amnesty strongly," The Hill reported.
"He’s very, very weak on immigration, and I’m very strong on immigration," said Trump, adding, "He believes in amnesty strong. He believes in citizenship – he’s going to give citizenship to people here illegally, and you can’t do that."
