Carson says he will continue to 'expose' the press

Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson told a National Press Club Luncheon Oct. 9 that "I will continue to expose the press" in an effort to prod it until it fulfills the spirit of the Constitution to be the ally of the people.

"I don't particularly care whether the press likes me," the neurosurgeon said in a wide-ranging speech that frequently returned to critical comments about the media. Though his words were strong, Carson delivered them in his usual soft-spoken even gentle manner.

In reply to President John Hughes' traditionally clever final question – in this case, whether he would serve as Donald Trump's running mate – Carson said that Trump has brought "a lot of people and enthusiasm" into the electoral process.

But he dodged the question of running with Trump by saying he would choose "someone compatible" for his own running mate, "not from a particular demographic."

Before answering the question Carson had said he wanted to make an additional comment that was his strongest criticism. "The reason I expose the press is that I want the people to understand what they're doing. I will continue to expose the press every time they do something, because as more people understand what they're doing it will have negative effect until they have a transformation to become allies of the people."

"Before we go any further, I'm not politically correct - a reason a lot of people in the press don't like me," Carson said at the outset. "I'm not going to conform to all their little requirements."

As an example, Carson said the press treated his remarks about fighting back as criticism of the victims in the Oregon shooting and had omitted his comments that he was replying to a question about what he would do. Carson also said the press has an obligation to keep the people well informed.

Carson gave the most attention to the Supreme Court ruling in favor of gay marriage. He said he personally believed any two persons, regardless of orientation, have the rights to associate together as well as make legal contracts. "Live and let live," he said

He said, however, that the Court did not take into consideration the implications of the ruling that affected only one group. If you change for one group, why not change for the next group?" he said. "So why change in the first place? It [traditional marriage] has been working well for thousands of years."

He called on Congress to take action to turn the matter over to local level.

In response to a question, Carson said Syria is "a very serious situation ... and we can't be passive." As for the U.S. flight, this country should pass word that "we will fly anywhere we want.”

As president dealing with Congress he would follow "a policy of talking," something the current administration has not done very much, he said.

In his first act as president Carson would call Congress into session to say that we recognize the people are at the pinnacle.

"We are Americans first and Democrats and Republicans second or even third."

Carson spoke to the sell-out audience in the Club Ballroom, using only notes. His aide had said he would not speak from a text.

His wife Candy accompanied him for what was billed as an address about their book, "A More Perfect Union."