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Dr. Ben Carson on Wednesday walked back from comments he made saying being gay was a choice, noting in a Facebook post that his "choice of language does not reflect fully my heart on gay issues."
The about-face come hours after he appeared on CNN, where, when asked if being gay was a choice, Carson said: "Absolutely."
He explained, "Because a lot of people who go into prison go into prison straight -- and when they come out, they're gay. So, did something happen while they were in there? Ask yourself that question."
Carson's remarks came shortly after he formed a committee to explore a 2016 presidential bid for the Republican nomination. The former neurosurgeon issued an apology later Wednesday on Facebook, though he noted that "up until this point there have been no definitive studies that people are born into a specific sexuality."
" … I realized that my choice of language does not reflect fully my heart on gay issues," he wrote. "I do not pretend to know how every individual came to their sexual orientation. I regret that my words to express that concept were hurtful and divisive. For that I apologize unreservedly to all that were offended."
Carson said he supports rights and Constitutional protections for LGBT people plus the right for states to approve or deny gay marriage.
File paperwork to create a presidential exploratory committee on Monday, having to backpedal on Wednesday.
The clowncar has arrived and the clowns are exiting.
Dr. Ben Carson Apologizes For Saying Being Gay Is a Choice - NBC News