Brownstein: Carson’s ‘Moment Has Probably Passed in Terms of Being a Major Factor’

WHITFIELD: “… this 2016 race with CNN senior political analyst Ron Brownstein — good to see you; along with CNN political commentator Peter Beinart — good to see you as well. Happy New Year — gentlemen.”
BROWNSTEIN: “Happy New Year.” 
WHITFIELD: “All right. So let’s talk about this Carson shakeup. Ron — is this as simple as Dr. Carson puts it, to reinvigorate? To invigorate — that’s the word that he used, or is it a sign of something else?"

 BROWNSTEIN: I think, you know, I think it is a sign of the situation that he’s in. You know, the Presidential campaign and the primaries have really become something of a national audition where everybody sees the candidates at some big moments and makes judgments. And when Carson had the spotlight in the fall when the Republicans were looking at him in a series of events he simply did not seem prepared for the presidency. Many Republicans admire his life story but I don’t think he projected the executive authority or understanding of some of these issues that are required in a president. And I think as a result his moment has probably passed in terms of being a major factor in this race, with or with out that (ph). He still has an audience, but it’s a much smaller audience and I think it’s going to be hard for him to restore anywhere near the support that he had earlier.”