Carson invites GOP rivals for meeting on ‘lack of civility’

Ben Carson is calling his Republican rivals to meet and discuss the “lack of civility” in the presidential race.

Carson said the GOP race is becoming an “embarrassment on the world stage” and that the public deserves “so much more” in a statement Tuesday.

{mosads}“A house divided cannot stand, and it is imperative the Republican Party exhibit unity by the candidates coming together with a pledge to talk about the many serious problems facing our country, instead of personally attacking each other,” Carson said. 

Carson is inviting Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich to meet before the party’s 11th debate, scheduled for Thursday night in Detroit.

The wild 2016 Republican race with Trump has featured harsh insults between candidates for months.

In recent days, Trump and Rubio have focused their barbs on each other.

Rubio suggested last week that Trump may have wet his pants during their last debate, in which many saw the Florida senator deliver a strong performance against the GOP front-runner.

He followed that up by mocking Trump’s “orange” skin tone and claiming he has “small hands.”

Trump on Tuesday hit back.

“I call him ‘Little Marco,’ ” Trump said at a rally. “He said I have small hands. I’ve always heard people say, ‘Donald, you have the most beautiful hands.’ It hasn’t worked. He’s gone down.”

Carson is lagging behind Trump, Cruz and Rubio in a slew of states voting on Super Tuesday, but he insists he won’t drop out of the race.

“If we are to defeat our Democratic opponent in the general election this November, we must reach an agreement together with each other that we will not succumb to the media’s desire for a fight on the stage in Detroit,” Carson said in his statement Tuesday.

“I am confident that the five remaining candidates can rise above the sophomoric attacks of past encounters and have a serious discussion about substantive issues and how we will lead our nation forward toward a more prosperous and secure future,” he continued.

“America’s children and grandchildren are depending on us to fight for them and future generations, not fight each other.”