Fox News severed ties Friday to Dr. Ben A. Carson, a rising conservative star who is considering running for president in 2016, in what he said was an amicable parting.
In a statement late in the day, after Fox’s decision, Mr. Carson said the move didn’t signal he’s made a decision on the White House, but said he respected Fox’s thinking.
“At this time, no decision has been made to run for President. However, recognizing the possibility, Fox News felt I needed complete independence to fully examine my options,” he said. “My departure has been thoroughly amicable and is in the best interest for both Fox News and myself.”
Mr. Carson, who is a columnist for The Washington Times, gained prominence after he delivered a scathing rebuke to President Obama’s policies at a prayer breakfast last year, with Mr. Obama sitting nearby. Since then Mr. Carson has gone on to place highly in presidential preference straw polls measuring support for the 2016 GOP nomination.
In the latest signal that he is leaning toward running for office, the retired neurosurgeon this week registered as a Republican in Florida, The Washington Times reported. He had been registered as an independent.
Conservative commentator Armstrong Williams has produced an hour-long documentary biography of Mr. Carson that is slated to run as paid programming this weekend in nearly two dozen markets.
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