Ben Carson Loses a Pair of Top Campaign Aides

In a statement provided to NBC News, Watts said the resignations are effective immediately. His campaign leadership often butted heads with the candidate’s close friend Armstrong Williams, Politico reported. Williams told the Times Carson had canceled his trip over a security threat from the terrorist group Boko Haram, which he later said was not entirely accurate. “So I spent the holiday talking to everybody trying to convince them that everything was fine, and I just got angrier and angrier about it. And I prayed about it, and the Serenity Prayer came to mind, you know, there’s some things you just can’t change”. “Very little surprises me anymore”.

“Dr. Carson was pretty clear that everything was on the table”, Williams said.

Williams was optimistic that the new changes could invigorate the Carson campaign heading into the final stretch, saying the Republican had already been showing a deeper depth on foreign policy and that voters were coming back around to his low-key demeanor. All of his advisers are not going to be within the campaign structure. Giving him speeches at the last minute and preparing him for foreign policy issues hasn’t met quality standards. “It’s not only on him, it’s on them”.

Williams arranged for that interview without Bennett’s knowledge.

Watts added “He does present us with some problems being on the outside of the campaign”. It is what it is, Dr. Carson is who he is. Carson over the past week or two has told the media there would be a shakeup. The main change Carson wanted to make was with his Communications Director Doug Watts, Bennett says. In June, four senior staffers had already quit the campaign within a month of its launch. Some 20 staff in total left, he said. I have a lot of respect for Doug and Barry. “Is that true? I’m not sure it is”.

Williams said he spoke with Dees, the new campaign chairman, on Thursday and described their relationship as “wonderful”.

Ben Carson adviser and business manager Armstrong Williams appeared on CNN this afternoon to talk about major Carson aides resigning–one of whom specifically cited Williams in his reasons why. “Dr. Carson is not the one that stands like Mr. Trump or Mr. Cruz and say [sic] these things and incinerate and people think because you speak loud and say fiery things you’re a leader and you’re in control”. Reached by email, Brookover confirmed that with The Daily Beast.