Ben Carson: ‘Our Government Was Set Up For Citizen Statesmen, Not For Career Politicians’

Republican U.S. presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson participates in the Voters First Presidential Forum in Manchester, New Hampshire August 3, 2015. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

Ben Carson defends his lack of political experience insisting“our government was set up for citizen statesmen, not forcareer politicians.”

Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sundaywith Chuck Todd, Carson was grilled on the concerns regarding hislack of government or political experience when hesuggested “the Constitution was written at aeighth grade level for a reason.” (RELATED: Watch Ben Carson Muster Up The Energy ToTell Donald Trump: ‘I Have Plenty OfEnergy’)

Host Chuck Todd asked Carson,”What do you say to folksthat say, ‘Why should we hire you as president when you haveno experience in government or the political field?'”

Carson explained, “I would say that there are a lot ofpeople who like to believe that whatever they do is the end-all andthat nobody could absolutely do things better than they could.It’s sort of like the Constitution.  People say,‘What are you doing talking about the Constitution?You’re not a constitutional lawyer.'”

“Well, the Constitution was written at a eighth gradelevel for a reason,” suggested Carson. “They wanted thepeople to be able to understand how they were beinggoverned.”

“And our government was set up for citizen statesmen, notfor career politicians,” claimed Carson. “And, youknow, common sense is a lot more valuable than many years in thepolitical arena.”

To help make up for his lack of Washington know-how, Carsonsuggested he would hire people who “were well seasoned inwhat was going on in Washington and in various parts of theworld.” (RELATED: Donald Trump On Ben Carson: DoctorsDon’t Create Jobs)

“As a neurosurgeon, I know a lot about the brain,”said Carson. “But if I have a complex patient with a kidneyproblem, even though I know a lot about the kidney, I’m goingto get a renal specialist. And by the same token, if I’mdealing with a complex issue in Syria, I’m going to get a lotof people who have a lot of information about Syria.”

Todd clarified, “So you’re going to surroundyourself with experienced people is what you’resaying?”

“I think you have to do that. Solomon, the wisest man whoever lived, said in Proverbs 11:14, ‘In a multitude ofcounselors is safety,'” Carson said. “If the wisest manwho ever lived thought that, I certainly believe that. I thinkyou’re a fool if you think you know everything.”

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