During a pre-recorded interview with Fox News’ Howard Kurtz that aired on Sunday’s MediaBuzz, Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson sharply criticized the press for trying to damage his candidacy with erroneous stories about his personal biography.
When pressed by Kurtz to explain why the media would want to damage his campaign, Carson explained “when you deliberately lie and you put that out as a story, or you do shabby investigations, and you say we've investigated and we can't find anything, I mean, is that an acceptable standard?”
While the retired neurosurgeon explained that he has “no problem with people looking at my past” he will not tolerate outright lies by the media about his past:
So I don't have a problem with people looking at my past. I don't have any problem whatsoever with being vetted, but when people are outright dishonest, that's worrisome to me because you know, the media, the press is the only business protected by the constitution. There's a reason for that and that trust has been granted them, and it should be earned.
Kurtz asked Carson to explain why he thinks the press would be out to destroy his candidacy and the GOPer concluded that his strength against Hillary Clinton was worrisome to the liberal media:
Well, that’s probably something that probably you should investigate as a journalist and investigate it honestly and say why would they? What would be their motivation? Would it have anything to do with the fact that, you know, I'm doing well in head-to-head with Hillary? Maybe that's their chosen candidate? I don't know.
See relevant transcript below.
Fox News’ MediaBuzz
November 15, 2015
HOWARD KURTZ: You’ve used words like garbage and lies and smear to describe the recent wave of stories about your past. Are you saying that organization like Politico and CNN and the Wall Street Journal are deliberately trying to damage you?
BEN CARSON: Yes, to put it simply. That’s exactly what I’m saying.
KURTZ: Why?
CARSON: Because when you deliberately lie and you put that out as a story, or you do shabby investigations, and you say we've investigated and we can't find anything, I mean, is that an acceptable standard? You're the media, is that acceptable?
KURTZ: Generally journalists have to nail down a story before they publish it or broadcast it.
CARSON: Right. So I don't have a problem with people looking at my past. I don't have any problem whatsoever with being vetted, but when people are outright dishonest, that's worrisome to me because you know, the media, the press is the only business protected by the constitution. There's a reason for that and that trust has been granted them, and it should be earned.
KURTZ: Why do you think these and perhaps other organizations might have it in for you?
CARSON: Well, that’s probably something that probably you should investigate as a journalist and investigate it honestly and say why would they? What would be their motivation? Would it have anything to do with the fact that, you know, I'm doing well in head-to-head with Hillary? Maybe that's their chosen candidate? I don't know.
KURTZ: You certainly get more scrutiny when you move up in the polls, you understand that?
CARSON: Scrutiny is one thing, but blatant lies, that’s another.
