Chattanooga crowd urges neurosurgeon, author Ben Carson to run for president

photo Pediatric neurologist Dr. Ben Carson, professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, lectures to medical residents and professionals at Erlanger hospital in 2009.

Dozens of people standing outside Books A Million chanted "Run Ben Run," as famed surgeon and New York Times best-selling author Dr. Ben Carson exited his black and gold One Nation tour bus.

Hundreds more people waited inside for the potential presidential candidate's stop in Chattanooga on Monday.

"We need someone with a vision. No more politicians," yelled a passionate Patricia Lang, of Cleveland, Tenn.

Carson came for a book signing for his best selling book "One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save America's Future." But Finley Knowles and Janis Smith organized attendees into a Ben Carson for president cheering section. They also got hundreds of people to sign a petition requesting that he put his name on the 2016 U.S. presidential ballot.

"The goal is for Ben Carson to realize that the American people are behind him and that he will run for president," said Smith, a co-leader in the local Run Ben Run campaign.

The National Draft Ben Carson for President Committee has organized petition rallies in every state to show support for Carson becoming a candidate, said Knowles.

Carson is a columnist and retired neurosurgeon.

Carson left unanswered the question of whether will run.

"I just want the American people to recognize we are not each other's enemy," he said.

"What I'd like America to look like is a large group of people who know how to respect each other and who are willing to work hard and understand what independence is," he said. "I want it to be a can do nation rather than a what can you do for me nation.

He said he titled his book "One Nation" to emphasize that.

But his wife, Candy Carson, who also attended the event said her husband has no intention of running.

"He's more about trying to wake people up that we are about to go off a fiscal cliff," she said.

"It is crucial that we do something about the elephant in the room. We've got this humongous debt. If we don't do something to stop this spending, there will be nothing left for our children," said his wife.

Contact staff writer Yolanda Putman at yputman@timesfreepress.com.

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