Ari Fleischer Doesn't Understand Why Republicans Like Ben Carson

Ari Fleischer can't figure out why so many Republicans like Ben Carson, who, for months, has placed second behind Donald Trump in various national presidential primary polls.

"I've been perplexed in this entire campaign about the attraction of Ben Carson in the first place. He's so soft-spoken ... he doesn't come across as a strong, powerful leader," Fleischer, the former press secretary for President George W. Bush said after Carson and others spoke at the Republican Jewish Coalition meeting in Washington, D.C.

The monotone and at-times mumbling speech by the retired neurosurgeon, who has dipped recently in polls, raised eyebrows from numerous observers, including Fleischer. "I give Carson credit for trying, and for having a very deep and substantive speech, but it just didn't work. You can't read a lengthy wonky speech like this."

As for Donald Trump's speech, Fleischer said it was "utterly devoid of any substance, nuance"; that there was nothing there "when you get below the bravado, the entertainment."

By contrast, he had high praise for Senator Marco Rubio's speech.