Carson Says 'Political Class' Shouldn't Pick The President
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)--Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson has been holding court with hundreds of Iowans, declaring that he can be president of the United States.
At The Des Moines Register's Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair, Carson, a Republican candidate for president, said Sunday: "We shouldn't let the political class pick our presidents."
Carson, who has a rags-to-riches story, has ignited curiosity and enthusiasm from conservatives with his call for a more civil, less partisan dialogue in the federal government. On the stage, he said: "Just because you disagree with someone doesn't mean you're their enemy."
He sprinkled his 15-minute speech with jokes about aspiring to be a doctor while growing up in inner-city Detroit.
Though offering little details on how to address it, he said the chief problem facing the country is its long-term liabilities, which Carson said amount to $211 trillion over time.
He said: "The problems that threaten to destroy us are not Democrat problems or Republican problems. They are American problems."
AP-WF-08-16-15 2230GMT
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