“What I’m going to have to do is think seriously about what kind of example I set, because this is really a test to see whether somebody who is not part of political class can succeed and can prevail over all the forces that will do everything they can to keep you out,” Carson added.

“I’m not by any stretch going to give up. Every place I go, you know, the public comes up to me and they say ‘Don’t you dare give up. Don’t let those people get to you. We love you. We believe you. We’ve got your back.’ That’s all I hear all day long when I’m in public,” Carson said.

“So there’s no way I’m going to let people down. But by the same token I don’t want to allow the media to dictate what we’re talking about all the time. Because if you allow that, every day there will always be something. You’ll always be on the defensive, and you will never get the opportunity to address the actual issues,” the retired brain surgeon added.