Trump: Carson doesn’t have the energy to be president

by Bradford Richardson - 09/12/15 2:30 PM ET

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump is shifting his attacks in Ben Carson’s direction.

The real estate mogul went after the soft-spoken Carson for his lack of energy, a criticism he had previously reserved for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

“I don’t think Ben has the energy,” Trump told supporters at a rally in Ames, Iowa, on Saturday. “Ben is a nice man. But when you’re negotiating against China, and you’re negotiating against these Japanese guys who are going to come in waves … we need people who are really smart, who have tremendous deal-making skills, and have tremendous energy.”

{mosads}“We need people with an aggressive tone, and we need people with tremendous energy, and I’m your candidate, OK?” he added.

Trump also went after Carson for questioning his Christian faith.

“In all fairness, Ben hit me on my faith, and you don’t hit a person on his faith,” Trump said. “I don’t know him, he knows nothing about me.”

Carson had contrasted himself with Trump by saying he does not “deny” his faith at a campaign rally in Anaheim, Calif., earlier this week.

The retired neurosurgeon later clarified that he did not mean to question Trump’s faith.

Carson is Trump’s nearest contender in Iowa. A recent poll released by Monmouth University found the two tied in Iowa at 23 percent support each, the first poll not to find Trump in sole possession of the lead since July.

Other polls still have Trump leading in the important Iowa caucus, and a RealClearPolitics polling average has him ahead of Carson by nearly 7 points in the Hawkeye State.

Trump was speaking at a tailgate party before a football game between the University of Iowa and Iowa State.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fl.), who are also running for the Republican nomination, attended the tailgate as well.

Tags Ben Carson Donald Trump