Thousands rally for GOP candidate Ben Carson in Phoenix

Editor's note: The estimated crowd size has been changed. The number provided by the Phoenix Convention Center based on a manual count at the door was 6,000. Campaign officials, however, said the crowd was closer to 10,000 based on the room’s capacity.

Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson, speaking Tuesday before a Phoenix crowd larger than the one that turned out weeks ago to hear front-runner Donald Trump, touched on themes of healing the country, following God and bringing authenticity to the race for the White House.

The former neurosurgeon, who has rocketed to near the top of the polls since the first Republican debate earlier this month, spoke to a crowd estimated at between 6,000 and 10,000 people at the Phoenix Convention Center as they waved campaign signs reading “Heal,” “Revive” and “Inspire.”

Carson acknowledged that until a few weeks ago his had been a long-shot campaign. But like in his career in medicine when he operated on thousands of patients to give them a better life, Carson said he was called by a higher power to enter politics to help others.

“All the pundits say it’s impossible,” Carson said to raucous applause. “I just said, ‘Lord, if you want me to do it, open the doors and I will walk through.’ ”

Carson’s surgical career was invoked from the beginning of the event, as he was introduced by a former patient, Lyle Youngblood, now a student at Shadow Ridge High School.

Youngblood, who is now 15, was born with spina bifida, a condition that could have paralyzed him from the waist down, said his mother, Lena. Carson operated on Lyle Youngblood when he was 3 months old, and a dozen times during his childhood.

The teen walked on stage and praised “Dr. Carson’s incredible ability to heal people physically and emotionally … He’s given thousands of people hope. If he can do this for one child, imagine what he can do to heal the wounds of our nation.”

The crowd erupted in applause.

During his remarks, Carson largely hewed to conservative Republican policy positions: securing the nation’s borders, reducing the size of government and promoting school choice to help students stuck in bad schools.

Carson said corporate taxes should be lower, that all Americans no matter how rich or poor should pay the same income-tax rate, and that the federal government should institute a hiring freeze to help address the federal budget deficit.

He said the 14th Amendment, which grants birthright citizenship to most babies born on U.S. soil, “doesn’t make any sense.” It’s a position several of his rivals, including Trump, have highlighted in recent days.

He also railed against Planned Parenthood, calling media reports that he authored a research paper in 1992 that relied in part on research involving fetal-tissue samples, “total crap.”

A LOOK AT BEN CARSON

Carson touted his anti-politician credentials as one reason his campaign has gathered momentum in recent weeks.

“People are looking for people they can believe, and they don’t think they can trust politicians,” he said. “They don’t think they can take the risk anymore.”

The sentiment was echoed by Jason Anthony, a 26-year-old independent from Scottsdale who attended the rally.

“I felt his speech and what he was standing for was real,” Anthony said. “I actually trust him with leading the country, which is saying something.”

Carson, who was raised by a single mother in Detroit, struck a populist tone at times, promising he would never “kiss the boots of billionaires and special interests” and warning that America will continue in the wrong direction “unless we the people decide we’re not going to have it.”

But at other times, he advocated policies that he acknowledged could be harsher on low-income people. He said taxes should be “based on biblical principles” like church tithing — the same rate for everyone, rather than asking the wealthy to pay more.

“There are those who say (a lower-income taxpayer) can’t afford to put a buck in,” Carson said. “Why can’t he? Can he afford to send his kids to public school? Can he drive on the public roads? You know, that is so condescending. Pat him on the head and say, ‘There, there, you poor little thing, there’s nothing you can do.’ I grew up in the bottom rungs of society, and I can tell you there are a lot of people there who have pride, and they don’t want to be treated like that.”

At the end of the hour speech, Carson answered questions, telling a young woman that his favorite Bible verse starts, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” He told another woman that vaccinations for “lethal and debilitating” diseases should be required but that health providers may “have gotten a little overly exuberant” about recommending others.

Beverlee Armistead, 56, a Tempe resident who plans to vote for Carson, said those who attended could tell Carson’s remarks were sincere.

“This was not a written speech,” she said, adding, “I thought it was well thought out.”

Tony Whitehorn, 68, of Gilbert and a Republican, said he heard echoes of GOP front-runner Donald Trump in some of Carson’s remarks on immigration. Carson plans to tour the Arizona-Mexico border today and speak with law enforcement.

“His details sound similar to Trump,” Whitehorn said. “He’s obviously a very bright man and very intelligent and I’m interested to see what happens.”