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A 'child molester', 'stupid' voters and ... Mitt? Welcome to the election's silly season A 'child molester', 'stupid' voters and ... Mitt? Welcome to the election's silly season
(about 4 hours later)
Violent criminal? Or pathological liar?Violent criminal? Or pathological liar?
That’s the question the leading Republican presidential candidate posed about his closest rival Friday, as a week that had begun for the GOP with a polite policy debate ended in a tumult of accusation, insult and hyperbole.That’s the question the leading Republican presidential candidate posed about his closest rival Friday, as a week that had begun for the GOP with a polite policy debate ended in a tumult of accusation, insult and hyperbole.
Related: Ben Carson's lies reveal a fundamental truth about candidates' tall tales | Mike DaiseyRelated: Ben Carson's lies reveal a fundamental truth about candidates' tall tales | Mike Daisey
Donald Trump compared Ben Carson to a child molester and said voters would be “stupid” to buy his stories. Carson asked voters to pray for Trump and said he had better intelligence on Syria than the White House. The press secretary declared himself speechless, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio traded blows on immigration, and somewhere someone was heard to cry: “Mitt Romney!”Donald Trump compared Ben Carson to a child molester and said voters would be “stupid” to buy his stories. Carson asked voters to pray for Trump and said he had better intelligence on Syria than the White House. The press secretary declared himself speechless, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio traded blows on immigration, and somewhere someone was heard to cry: “Mitt Romney!”
From one angle it looked like just the kind of melee that Hillary Clinton and the Democrats would script if they could. But with all lines of political logic in this election cycle having been long since scrambled, it was unclear how the wild words would hurt – or help – the combatants.From one angle it looked like just the kind of melee that Hillary Clinton and the Democrats would script if they could. But with all lines of political logic in this election cycle having been long since scrambled, it was unclear how the wild words would hurt – or help – the combatants.
The sharpest gibe was delivered by Trump, who closed the week on a negative note after dutifully gripping a podium for two hours in Milwaukee on Tuesday and uttering not one insult.The sharpest gibe was delivered by Trump, who closed the week on a negative note after dutifully gripping a podium for two hours in Milwaukee on Tuesday and uttering not one insult.
He made up for it on Friday, disseminating a video on Instagram centered on a story Carson has often told about trying to stab someone in his youth, but having his knife break on the person’s belt buckle. He made up for it on Friday, disseminating a video on Instagram centered on a story Carson has often told about trying to stab someone in his youth and having his knife break on the person’s belt buckle.
Criminal or liar, the video asks, concluding: “We don’t need either as president.” Criminal or liar? the video asks, concluding: “We don’t need either as president.”
The message picked up on a riff Trump delivered the night before in a remarkable speech to 1,500 people in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Noting that Carson had written that he had a “pathological temper” as a youth, Trump drew a pederasty analogy. The message picked up on a riff Trump had delivered the night before in a remarkable speech to 1,500 people in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Noting that Carson had written that he had a “pathological temper” as a youth, Trump drew a pederasty analogy.
“A child molester, there’s no cure for that,” Trump said. “If you’re a child molester, there’s no cure. They can’t stop you. Pathological? There’s no cure.”“A child molester, there’s no cure for that,” Trump said. “If you’re a child molester, there’s no cure. They can’t stop you. Pathological? There’s no cure.”
In reply, Carson, the retired neurosurgeon, pointed out that Trump had misused the word “pathological”, which does not mean incurable.In reply, Carson, the retired neurosurgeon, pointed out that Trump had misused the word “pathological”, which does not mean incurable.
Then Carson pointed out that Trump had not actually called him a child molester. Trump merely had compared him to a child molester.Then Carson pointed out that Trump had not actually called him a child molester. Trump merely had compared him to a child molester.
“I always find it a little amusing what people in the press like to say,” Carson said. “‘You compared this and therefore they’re the same,’ I don’t buy all that.”“I always find it a little amusing what people in the press like to say,” Carson said. “‘You compared this and therefore they’re the same,’ I don’t buy all that.”
Bill Whalen of the Hoover Institute at Stanford University hailed the advent of “silly season” in Republican politics.Bill Whalen of the Hoover Institute at Stanford University hailed the advent of “silly season” in Republican politics.
“We don’t have another debate for another month,” Whalen said. “I think you’ll see exchanges flying fast and furiously, a lot of just general nonsense if you will.” “We don’t have another debate for another month,” Whalen said. “I think you’ll see exchanges flying fast and furiously, a lot of just general nonsense, if you will.”
It was a sharp contrast to the comity that prevailed at Tuesday night’s debate, after which seasoned observers on both right and left noted in particular that Florida senator Marco Rubio had escaped attack for once joining Democrats on the issue of immigration policy reform. It was a sharp contrast to the comity that prevailed at Tuesday night’s debate, after which seasoned observers on both right and left noted in particular that Florida senator Marco Rubio had escaped attack for having once joined Democrats on the issue of immigration policy reform.
The détente lasted until late Thursday, when Texas senator Ted Cruz jabbed Rubio during a conversation with radio host Laura Ingraham.The détente lasted until late Thursday, when Texas senator Ted Cruz jabbed Rubio during a conversation with radio host Laura Ingraham.
“Talk is cheap,” Cruz said. “You know where someone is based on their actions.”“Talk is cheap,” Cruz said. “You know where someone is based on their actions.”
Rubio replied that Cruz, a fellow Cuban American, held views on immigration that were not “dramatically different” from his own.Rubio replied that Cruz, a fellow Cuban American, held views on immigration that were not “dramatically different” from his own.
Trump piled on, telling CNN that Rubio “wants amnesty” – a conservative shibboleth referring to legal status for undocumented migrants – because he and his parents are Hispanic.Trump piled on, telling CNN that Rubio “wants amnesty” – a conservative shibboleth referring to legal status for undocumented migrants – because he and his parents are Hispanic.
Trump, who has reclaimed his lead in polling averages from Carson, let fly with the week’s the most bilious statements. Trump, who has reclaimed his lead in polling averages from Carson, let fly with the week’s most bilious statements.
In expressing disbelief about Carson’s stabbing story, Trump went as far as to question the intelligence of voters.In expressing disbelief about Carson’s stabbing story, Trump went as far as to question the intelligence of voters.
“How stupid are the people of Iowa? How stupid are the people of the country to believe this crap?” Trump said.“How stupid are the people of Iowa? How stupid are the people of the country to believe this crap?” Trump said.
As far as a campaign technique, calling voters stupid might not be effective, said Timothy Hagle, a professor of political science at the University of Iowa.As far as a campaign technique, calling voters stupid might not be effective, said Timothy Hagle, a professor of political science at the University of Iowa.
“It’s not a smart strategy,” Hagle said, laughing.“It’s not a smart strategy,” Hagle said, laughing.
“Having said that, Trump has been in a world of his own in this. He has done so many things that people have said, ‘That’s going to capsize his candidacy, that’s going to hurt him in the polls’ – and it hasn’t, for the most part. He’s not playing on the same playing field as everybody else, seemingly, at least not yet.”“Having said that, Trump has been in a world of his own in this. He has done so many things that people have said, ‘That’s going to capsize his candidacy, that’s going to hurt him in the polls’ – and it hasn’t, for the most part. He’s not playing on the same playing field as everybody else, seemingly, at least not yet.”
Carson set off on his own on Friday as well, clinging to a theory about Chinese involvement in the Syrian war that was rejected out of hand by the national security adviser, members of Congress from both parties and scholars.Carson set off on his own on Friday as well, clinging to a theory about Chinese involvement in the Syrian war that was rejected out of hand by the national security adviser, members of Congress from both parties and scholars.
Asked about Syria at Tuesday’s debate, Carson said: “it’s a very complex place. You know, the Chinese are there, as well as the Russians, and you have all kinds of factions there.” Asked about Syria at Tuesday’s debate, Carson said: “It’s a very complex place. You know, the Chinese are there, as well as the Russians, and you have all kinds of factions there.”
The Carson campaign clarified on Friday that “Dr Carson does not believe that China is currently fighting in or deploying troops to Syria”.The Carson campaign clarified on Friday that “Dr Carson does not believe that China is currently fighting in or deploying troops to Syria”.
But the candidate himself, when asked about the White House dismissal of his theory, doubled down. “I have several sources that I’ve gotten material from,” Carson said. “I’m surprised that my material is better than theirs.”But the candidate himself, when asked about the White House dismissal of his theory, doubled down. “I have several sources that I’ve gotten material from,” Carson said. “I’m surprised that my material is better than theirs.”
You can either get panicked ... or you can ask the more salient question: where will the race be at the end of February?You can either get panicked ... or you can ask the more salient question: where will the race be at the end of February?
Press secretary Josh Earnest was dumbfounded. “Maybe it violates my job description as a spokesperson to be speechless but I think in this case, I am,” he said. Press secretary Josh Earnest was dumbfounded. “Maybe it violates my job description as a spokesperson to be speechless, but I think in this case, I am,” he said.
The controversial comportment of the frontrunners in the Republican race has left party leaders uneasy, with “some in the party establishment ... so desperate to change the dynamic that they are talking anew about drafting Romney”, the party’s nominee in 2012, the Washington Post reported.The controversial comportment of the frontrunners in the Republican race has left party leaders uneasy, with “some in the party establishment ... so desperate to change the dynamic that they are talking anew about drafting Romney”, the party’s nominee in 2012, the Washington Post reported.
That report was splashed across the top of the Drudge Report, the megaphone of the hard-right conservative id, with the headline: “WASH POST: PARTY PANIC; MOVE TO DRAFT ROMNEY.”That report was splashed across the top of the Drudge Report, the megaphone of the hard-right conservative id, with the headline: “WASH POST: PARTY PANIC; MOVE TO DRAFT ROMNEY.”
“I think there’s a lot of Chicken Little running around here,” said Whalen. “There’s too much panic on the Republican side. Whalen, of the Hoover Institute, said: “I think there’s a lot of Chicken Little running around here ... There’s too much panic on the Republican side.
“You can either get panicked at the idea of Carson and Trump, and one of them winning one or two early stops, or you can ask I think the more salient question which is, where will the race be at the end of February? I look at this whole thing as a big contest to winnow down the field to about three or four people. “You can either get panicked at the idea of Carson and Trump, and one of them winning one or two early stops, or you can ask, I think the more salient question, which is: where will the race be at the end of February? I look at this whole thing as a big contest to winnow down the field to about three or four people.
“I would not panic about what may or may not happen in Iowa, and I’d worry more about the long game.”“I would not panic about what may or may not happen in Iowa, and I’d worry more about the long game.”
Hagle agreed. “There’s still an awful lot of Iowans who are still undecided at this point,” he said. “As we’re getting a little closer to the caucuses, people are starting to take a harder look at these candidates. January’s where I think a lot of people are going to make their final decisions on whom to support.”Hagle agreed. “There’s still an awful lot of Iowans who are still undecided at this point,” he said. “As we’re getting a little closer to the caucuses, people are starting to take a harder look at these candidates. January’s where I think a lot of people are going to make their final decisions on whom to support.”
Despite the generally unsettled quality of the race, Whalen said, it was possible to draw at least one conclusion.Despite the generally unsettled quality of the race, Whalen said, it was possible to draw at least one conclusion.
“I think the lesson here is that Iowa and New Hampshire cannot come soon enough.”“I think the lesson here is that Iowa and New Hampshire cannot come soon enough.”