Ken Berwitz
O what a tangled web we weave….etc.
Politico.com is clearly embarrassed by its “exclusive” report, written by Kyle Cheney, that Ben Carson “fabricated” being offered a full scholarship to West Point. We know that because it is continuing to try and adjust the charge in a way that makes Carson rather than Cheney and politico.com look like the liar.
Here is its latest try – with the key last portion in bold print:
Editor\’s note: POLITICO stands by its reporting on this story, which has been updated to reflect Ben Carson\’s on the record response. The original story and headline said that Carson\’s campaign had admitted he “fabricated” a “full scholarship” from West Point, but now Carson denies that his campaign\’s statement constituted such an admission, and the story and headline were changed to reflect that. POLITICO\’s reporting established that Carson said he received a “full scholarship” from West Point, in writing and in public appearances over the years – but in fact he did not and there is actually no such thing as a “full scholarship” to the taxpayer-funded academy. And today in response to POLITICO he acknowledged for the first time that was not the case. Carson never explicitly wrote that he had applied for admission to West Point, although that was the clear implication of his claim to have received an offer of a “full scholarship,” a point that POLITICO\’s initial report should have made clear.
Uh, note to politico.com: there\’s your problem right there. Carson never explicity wrote that he had applied for admission to West Point. And that is NOT a clear implication of his claim to have received an offer of a full scholarship.
See, no one who is accepted to West Point ever pays for anything. Everyone who goes there is on full scholarship. No exceptions.
So to say that he was offered an opportunity to attend West Point – whether or not he decided to do so (Carson declined) – is INHERENTLY to say that he was offered a full scholarship.
Politico.com dug itself a deep hole with its claim that Carson fabricated this. And every time it tries to wriggle, twist, and otherwise retrofit its claim, in an effort to look less like the bullcrap it is, that hole gets deeper.
What next, guys? Are Dan Rather and Mary Mapes coming to work for you too?
