Most endorsements don't matter; Carson's endorsement of Trump matters a lot

I realize that, most of the time, voters are not strongly influenced by endorsements from newspapers, former candidates, etc. That’s one of the reasons I haven’t made one myself. You want to vote for the candidate who speaks to you, not the candidate who speaks to me. It’s one thing to make a strong argument on behalf of a candidate – that might get someone thinking – but the idea that you’re more likely to vote for someone because he or she was “endorsed” by someone seems pretty silly. Most of the time. Ben Carson’s decision to endorse Donald Trump seems like a very significant exception to that rule. And it’s not only because of who Ben Carson is and what he’s already experienced. It’s also because of what he said in making the endorsement.

---

I mentioned on Facebook last week that when you run for president you do spend a lot of time around the other candidates, mostly at the many debates, and you do get to know them a little. Carson spoke from real knowledge when he talked about their being “two Donald Trumps,” and about how the one you usually see on stage is very different from the guy behind the scenes. Essentially, Carson was endorsing the behind-the-scenes Donald Trump – the one who is thoughtful, the one who listens, the one who is very considerate and does not shoot from the lip as the media would have you believe. And I can tell you from having met Donald Trump personally that this is also the guy I find him to be behind the scenes. Now you might wonder: Isn’t the public face Trump shows us more important? Not if your concern is how he would conduct himself as president. In the era of Barack Obama, it’s easy to make the mistake of thinking that the president’s job is to be a public performer. But the real important work happens behind the scenes, where the president has to sift through mountains of information and all kinds of advice and make crucial decisions. This is where behind-the-scenes Donald Trump will operate as president, and it’s the same Donald Trump who has made the many good decisions over the years (as well the few bad ones we’ve all heard so much about) that have built his business enterprise. He might make some bad decisions as president. Every president does. But it won’t be because he’s a know-nothing blowhard like the media wants you to think. It’s just because he’s human. His track record of making mostly good decisions is far superior to that of most politicians.

---

---

Another thing Carson gleaned in his personal interactions with Trump is that Trump wants the same things for the country that Carson does. And again, that’s consistent with what I’ve heard in person, what Trump talks about on his web site, and what Trump has told me directly. By the way, if Donald Trump was really a racist as people are trying to imply, I think Ben Carson would notice it. (And for that matter, so would I.) Finally, Carson’s endorsement matters because of the widespread perception that these two men are 180 degrees different. That doesn’t mean the perceptions are necessarily correct, although their respective styles are clearly different, but what it does show is that Carson could see past those differences and identify the man most likely to not only beat Hillary but also make the best decisions for the nation. So yes, I do think the Carson endorsement stands out as one that could make a real difference. Given Carson’s life history it’s impossible to dismiss him as someone acting with wrong motives, and you can’t accuse him of not really knowing Donald Trump. I think that will make a lot of conservative voters rest a little easier about the concerns they have with Trump. And if that happens, it will certainly not be just your average endorsement.

---