Ben Carson pleads for time at CNN debate: 'Can somebody attack me, please?'

(Image credit: Michael Ciaglo-Pool/Getty Images)

last updated 26 February 2016

The rules for CNN's Republican debate allowed a candidate to respond if he was mentioned in another candidate's answer. Since much of the debate was a brawl between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio, those three candidates got much more speaking time than either John Kasich or Ben Carson. Add in moderator Wolf Blitzer's willingness to be pushed into letting candidates claim their right to speak, and Carson got almost no speaking time whatsoever. Carson complained once, and tried to push into the conversation a few times. Finally, he asked, "Can somebody attack me, please?" Watch Carson's memorable plea below. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.