Ben Carson’s Campaign Has Imploded

Retired Neurosurgeon Loses Three Top Staffers – One Thinks He’s Not Ready For Prime Time

Ben Carson just lost three of his top staffers, the Washington Post’s Robert Costa and Dave Weigel report, calling it a “delayed campaign shake-up.”

Carson campaign manager Barry Bennett, communications director Doug Watts, and in a later development, deputy campaign manager Lisa Coen have all resigned. Carson over the past week or two has told the media there would be a shakeup. He had not told his staff. He then attempted to walk that back and blame the media for the report.

“We respect the candidate and we have enjoyed helping him go from far back in the field to top tier status,” Bennett and Watts told the Post in a statement. 

Armstrong Williams, who the retired neurosurgeon publicly disavowed a few months ago but the Post calls “Carson’s longtime confidant and business adviser,” says Carson’s new manager is retired Army general Robert F. Dees.

“Bob Dees is in charge and Dr. Carson will make that announcement on Monday in Washington,” Williams said. “Bob is a general. He knows how to manage and run a smooth organization.”

The Post cites “long-simmering tensions between Bennett and Williams.”

US News reports Bennett had serious questions about Carson’s “readiness” for the White House.

“You have to surround yourself with good people,” Bennett said. “And he hasn’t demonstrated that he can do that. No one wants Armstrong Williams anywhere near the Oval Office.”

Williams replied Thursday: “Barry and I agree. I will be nowhere near the Oval Office when Dr. Carson is elected president. I will remain in my private practice.”

Despite the internal struggles Carson raised a whopping $23 million this quarter, beating Ted Cruz’s $20 million. Many have suggested the Carson campaign isn’t a serious attempted to win the W#hite House, but rather a money-making scheme. That theory was given more credibility in October when Carson effectively stopped campaigning and went on a tour to sell his book.

Carson, who once for a short while was the GOP frontrunner after holding the number two slot for a long time, has now dropped to third or fourth place and is polling at 10 percent. 

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Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr and a CC license