Utah voters not likely to abandon Ben Carson over West Point claims

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah voters aren't likely to abandon GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson over questions about whether he was offered a formal scholarship to West Point as he claimed in his autobiography, political pundits said Friday.

"I think Utahns are sophisticated enough to see the whole picture," Utah GOP Chairman James Evans said. "It certainly doesn't reflect well on Dr. Carson, but the issue is, even with that, we know there is kind of a double standard."

Republicans, who dominate Utah politics, will view the Politico article pointing out an apparent discrepancy in Carson's personal story as another example of the media going after conservative candidates, he said.

"As Republicans, we have to be absolutely accurate. There's no room for us to be, the media won't allow us to be, human," Evans said. "It has a feel of, 'Gotcha. You weren't absolutely, 100 percent accurate.'"

Utah Democratic Party Chairman Peter Corroon said politicians, particularly those running for president, should expect scrutiny.

"Welcome to politics," he said. "It happens in city council races and (Carson's) complaining about it when he's in a presidential race. … I think he's just naive to think that people aren't going to be looking into his background."

Corroon said Utah voters may not like what they're hearing about Carson.

"I think we want people who are truthful and humble, not people who are exaggerating what their background is," Corroon said. "Utahns value good character and humility."

University of Utah political science professor Matthew Burbank said Carson's backing off claims he had a West Point scholarship will be seen as a "relatively minor" question about Carson's biography.

But Burbank said Utah voters will consider how that "ties into religion and the sense of being a moral person and the obligation to be honest" for Carson, who has stressed the role faith has played in his life on the campaign trail.

Carson "has been fairly explicit about his religious beliefs and how important" they are to him, Burbank said. "That's important for Utah voters. … They see something that is appealing to them."

Carson is leading the crowded field of GOP presidential candidates in many polls. He was the top choice for Utahns in a September UtahPolicy.com poll, but pollster Dan Jones said recently the state's Republicans likely haven't settled on a candidate.

In his 1996 book "Gifted Hands," Carson wrote, "I was offered a full scholarship to West Point. I didn't refuse the scholarship outright, but I let them know that a military career wasn't where I saw myself going."

Told by Politico that no record had been found that Carson had applied to or been accepted at the military academy, Carson's campaign spokesman, Doug Watts, said Carson had considered applying "but in the end did not seek admission."

Watts said Carson was a top ROTC student in his hometown of Detroit and was introduced to people from West Point who "told him they could help him get an appointment based on his grades and performance in ROTC."

Later, Carson told reporters, "it was an offer to me. It was specifically made" and questioned what was false about his story. He said, "there is a desperation on behalf of some to try to find a way to tarnish me."

Beth Powers, the Utah organizer for Carson's super PAC, said she hadn't heard the challenge to Carson's record, but it didn't change her opinion of him.

"I'll stick with Ben Carson," Powers said. "I never expected him to be perfect. I just think he's the guy. I'm willing to give him a pass. How many passes have we given this president?"

Powers, who set up a booth promoting Carson's candidacy at the recent World Congress of Families, said Utahns will likely join her because, "in general, Utah people are very, very kind and very forgiving."

Contributing: The Associated Press

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