Carson says he can attract black voters to GOP

Ben Carson answered questions about disputed comments he made about the Syrian war and his biography backstage at a campaign event Friday.

But once onstage, the Republican presidential hopeful – in second place nationally, according to polls – was received warmly as he pitched a message of personal responsibility, adding he can attract black voters to the GOP.

Carson took part in a town hall forum with U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-North Charleston, and U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-Spartanburg, at Greenville’s Bob Jones University.

Asked what he would do to overcome the GOP’s challenge in attracting minorities, Carson – the only African-American seeking the presidential nomination – said his “message ... of empowerment is going to continue to infiltrate the black community, the Latino community, all of the communities.”

The crowd of about 5,000 was receptive to Carson’s efforts to cast himself as the target of progressives and the media, applauding frequently.

“The progressive movement will try to do everything that they can to stop that message from getting out,” said Carson, who talked about wanting to replace what he characterized as a culture of government handouts, perpetrated by liberals and the Obama administration, with a culture of personal responsibility.

“They’re going to see if they can somehow knock me out and discourage me, but it’s not going to work,” he said to applause.

Trailing only New York billionaire Donald Trump in national and S.C. polls, Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who has never held political office, has been drawing new scrutiny for his statements.

Before Friday’s forum, Carson faced reporters with questions about his widely disputed claim, made during Tuesday night’s debate, that China was involved in the Syrian conflict.

During that debate, Carson said of the Syrian conflict, “You know, the Chinese are there, as well as the Russians, and you have all kinds of factions there.”

The comment prompted the Obama administration to say there is no evidence China’s military is in Syria.

Pressed for details Friday, Carson gave none, saying his campaign would release “material” about his claim. Then, he said, “I’m surprised that my sources are better than theirs,” referring to the Obama administration.

On Friday, Carson’s campaign sought to clarify his comments. The campaign said Carson had meant that China has aided Syria, not that it has troops fighting there.

Asked to respond to comments by GOP front-runner Trump – who Thursday compared Carson’s claims of a violent youth to the pathology of a child molester and said Iowans were stupid if they believed Carson’s version of his past – Carson characterized the realty TV star’s attacks as excessive.

“Now, that he’s completed his gratuitous attacks, why don’t we press on and deal with the issues,” Carson told reporters. “I’m hopeful at some point that we’ve reached a level of maturity so we can actually deal with the issues that are facing us now and stop getting into the mud.”

After the forum, Scott told The State newspaper that Carson’s success – and that of Trump and Carly Fiorina, the other non-politicians in the GOP field – means “the American voter is interested in something other than the gridlock that they’ve seen.”

But Scott, who plans to announce an endorsement after he has held town hall meetings with all the Republican candidates, said the contest is far from over.

“While there is an interest in the ‘outside’ candidate, there is a path to the White House for those folks who have served the country well and who are in public service today,” Scott said.

Asked whether candidates with no political experience are qualified to be president, Scott said, “The right person with the right team can do miraculous things.”

This story was originally published November 13, 2015 at 2:20 PM.