The Patriot Post® · Did Carson and Trump Make a 'Great Deal'?

There were two strange moments during Ben Carson’s interview on “The Steve Malzberg Show” yesterday. We begin with the former Republican presidential candidate announcing what appeared to be a quid pro quo with Donald Trump: “I will be doing things [in his administration] as well … Certainly in an advisory capacity.” Carson refused to elaborate on specifics — “I’m not going to reveal any details about it right now because all of this is still very liquid” — but Newsmax reports that “Carson said Trump’s decision to bring him into the presidential fold came after he sat down with the billionaire developer to talk about the future.”

As you’ll recall, Carson endorsed Trump shortly after suspending his campaign. We are in no way singling out Carson, but what he is insinuating — endorsing Trump was contingent on being awarded an administrative role — is against federal law. This scheme is hardly uncommon, but most candidates keep it a little more hush-hush. As blogger Allahpundit put it, “No doubt politicians across the spectrum ‘purchase’ endorsements every day with promises like this, but most of them have the good sense not to admit it publicly.” This also wouldn’t be the first time Carson let the cat out of the bag. Last month he implied to CNN that his former campaign finance workers were using donor contributions unethically.

Another, more candid moment came when Carson, still on the subject of endorsing Trump, said, “I have to look at what is practical and what is going to save this country and the American dream for the next generation. Is there another scenario that I would have preferred? Yes. But that scenario isn’t available.” Seeking clarity, Malzberg asked, “With one of the other candidates you mean?” To which Carson replied, “Yes.” Even more bizarrely, he explained, “Even if Donald Trump turns out not to be such a great president … we’re only looking at four years as opposed to multiple generations and perhaps the loss of the American dream forever.”

We wish that were the case. But as columnist Thomas Sowell has argued, November’s election could be America’s last chance: “the downward trajectory of America over the past seven years may well continue on into the future, to the point of no return.” If Carson is taking a chance on Trump to bolster his own political future, he couldn’t have picked a worse time to do it. Perhaps he, like Trump, isn’t the outsider many Americans were led to believe.