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| Ben Carson plans staff shakeup in coming days | |
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| Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson is seeking to take control of his struggling presidential campaign, saying in an interview that his drop in the polls is the fault of his advisers and that he plans to shake up his staff in the coming days. | Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson is seeking to take control of his struggling presidential campaign, saying in an interview that his drop in the polls is the fault of his advisers and that he plans to shake up his staff in the coming days. |
| Carson, sitting alone Wednesday in the basement of his Maryland house, said that no one’s job is safe. He complained about budgetary management in a campaign that has spent millions and called some of his top staffers overpaid and ineffective in broadcasting his message. | Carson, sitting alone Wednesday in the basement of his Maryland house, said that no one’s job is safe. He complained about budgetary management in a campaign that has spent millions and called some of his top staffers overpaid and ineffective in broadcasting his message. |
| “I’m looking at every aspect of the campaign right now. Everything is on the table, every job is on the table. And we’re going to analyze it very carefully,” Carson said. “It’s not perfect and we’re going to work on it.” | “I’m looking at every aspect of the campaign right now. Everything is on the table, every job is on the table. And we’re going to analyze it very carefully,” Carson said. “It’s not perfect and we’re going to work on it.” |
| “I want to see more efficiency in terms of the way money is utilized,” he added, saying he is frustrated with his campaign being described by critics as a “rat hole” for small-dollar donations. | “I want to see more efficiency in terms of the way money is utilized,” he added, saying he is frustrated with his campaign being described by critics as a “rat hole” for small-dollar donations. |
| Carson declined to say whether his campaign manager, Barry Bennett, remains in charge. He was coy and responded by saying changes could come as soon as “tomorrow” and certainly before the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 1. Bennett could not be reached for comment. | Carson declined to say whether his campaign manager, Barry Bennett, remains in charge. He was coy and responded by saying changes could come as soon as “tomorrow” and certainly before the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 1. Bennett could not be reached for comment. |
| According to two Republicans close to Carson, the retired neurosurgeon is already interviewing consultants for senior roles in the campaign without Bennett’s knowledge. They said Logan Delaney, a Carson confidant, is spearheading the process. | According to two Republicans close to Carson, the retired neurosurgeon is already interviewing consultants for senior roles in the campaign without Bennett’s knowledge. They said Logan Delaney, a Carson confidant, is spearheading the process. |
| Carson said that his current staffers will likely face salary cuts. “It’s one of the things we’re looking at: making sure everyone’s salary is in line with the standard,” he said. He grumbled that some aides are paid “five percent above average.” | Carson said that his current staffers will likely face salary cuts. “It’s one of the things we’re looking at: making sure everyone’s salary is in line with the standard,” he said. He grumbled that some aides are paid “five percent above average.” |
| Carson’s moves — a last-ditch effort to revive what just weeks ago was a front-running bid — comes as Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) have begun to dominate the conservative side of the GOP race. | Carson’s moves — a last-ditch effort to revive what just weeks ago was a front-running bid — comes as Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) have begun to dominate the conservative side of the GOP race. |
| Carson’s interview with The Washington Post was one of several he conducted Wednesday to discuss the state of his campaign and his decision to make personnel changes. The Associated Press reported earlier Wednesday that staffing changes were expected. | |
| The shift of power on the campaign back to Carson, a novice candidate who has relied for months on political veterans, is the culmination of his growing unhappiness with his candidacy and the inability of his staff to sustain his momentum. | The shift of power on the campaign back to Carson, a novice candidate who has relied for months on political veterans, is the culmination of his growing unhappiness with his candidacy and the inability of his staff to sustain his momentum. |
| Carson insisted that his soft-spoken style and faith-infused pitch were not to blame for his steady decline. “The key thing for me is going to be not changing,” he said. “Everybody wants you to change. They say if you do this, it’ll be better. But that’s what politicians do.” | Carson insisted that his soft-spoken style and faith-infused pitch were not to blame for his steady decline. “The key thing for me is going to be not changing,” he said. “Everybody wants you to change. They say if you do this, it’ll be better. But that’s what politicians do.” |
| Carson said he has been urged privately by his aides to use more “bombast” and to take on Trump and Cruz more forcefully, but that he disagreed with their advice. “That’s just not who I am,” he said. | Carson said he has been urged privately by his aides to use more “bombast” and to take on Trump and Cruz more forcefully, but that he disagreed with their advice. “That’s just not who I am,” he said. |
| Turning toward the primary calendar, Carson said Iowa and South Carolina will be his chief focus and that New Hampshire, with is “volatile” dynamic, will be less of a target. | Turning toward the primary calendar, Carson said Iowa and South Carolina will be his chief focus and that New Hampshire, with is “volatile” dynamic, will be less of a target. |
| The retired neurosurgeon has been under heavy scrutiny over his grasp of foreign policy issues in the wake of terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, Calif., which have elevated national-security concerns among voters. Carson’s national support has dropped precipitously in ensuing weeks, bringing him from second place just behind Trump to fourth or fifth place in most national polls. | The retired neurosurgeon has been under heavy scrutiny over his grasp of foreign policy issues in the wake of terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, Calif., which have elevated national-security concerns among voters. Carson’s national support has dropped precipitously in ensuing weeks, bringing him from second place just behind Trump to fourth or fifth place in most national polls. |
| Carson has acknowledged the difficulties on the campaign trail in recent days, even as he dismissed questions about whether his staff was to blame. | Carson has acknowledged the difficulties on the campaign trail in recent days, even as he dismissed questions about whether his staff was to blame. |
| “The key thing for me right now is just to dispel the rumor that I don’t know anything about foreign policy,” he told reporters during a press availability in Manchester, N.H., Monday. “I just have to concentrate on making sure that people know it’s not true.” | “The key thing for me right now is just to dispel the rumor that I don’t know anything about foreign policy,” he told reporters during a press availability in Manchester, N.H., Monday. “I just have to concentrate on making sure that people know it’s not true.” |
| The campaign has aggressively sought to correct course by touting the neurosurgeon’s medical accomplishments and stressing that he has been working with foreign policy experts to study up on geopolitical issues. Carson visited two Syrian refugee camps in November on a quick “fact-finding” journey after the Thanksgiving holiday, which he has since publicized in an attempt to gain credibility on the controversy over admitting Syrian refugees into the United States. | The campaign has aggressively sought to correct course by touting the neurosurgeon’s medical accomplishments and stressing that he has been working with foreign policy experts to study up on geopolitical issues. Carson visited two Syrian refugee camps in November on a quick “fact-finding” journey after the Thanksgiving holiday, which he has since publicized in an attempt to gain credibility on the controversy over admitting Syrian refugees into the United States. |
| The candidate has wilted under the spotlight, stumbling through a high-profile national security speech before the Republican Jewish Coalition earlier this month; he was panned for reading directly from a script mispronouncing Hamas, the extremist Palestinian group, like “hummus,” the chickpea dip. Meanwhile, primary rival Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has seized the moment with bombastic national security rhetoric. | The candidate has wilted under the spotlight, stumbling through a high-profile national security speech before the Republican Jewish Coalition earlier this month; he was panned for reading directly from a script mispronouncing Hamas, the extremist Palestinian group, like “hummus,” the chickpea dip. Meanwhile, primary rival Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has seized the moment with bombastic national security rhetoric. |
| There have also emerged significant questions over the caliber of his national campaign staff, which has not only seemingly failed to prepare the candidate for the spotlight but has time and again failed to capitalize on momentum in the polls. | There have also emerged significant questions over the caliber of his national campaign staff, which has not only seemingly failed to prepare the candidate for the spotlight but has time and again failed to capitalize on momentum in the polls. |
| In Iowa, the Carson campaign operation has largely relied on the organic grassroots support of Christian evangelicals. But some Iowa operatives say the campaign has done little to organize them in a meaningful way ahead of the caucuses in five weeks. | |
| This story was first published Wednesday at 3:44 p.m. | This story was first published Wednesday at 3:44 p.m. |