Dr. Ben Carson, in an exclusive interview with
Newsmax TV, said he believes if President Barack Obama had his way, all handguns owned by Americans would be confiscated.
"He probably would like to do that but we're not going to let that happen," Carson said to Newsmax's Steve Malzberg in an interview aired Wednesday.
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"The Second Amendment is so crucial … It was [American senator and statesman] Daniel Webster who said America would never experience tyranny because the people are armed."
The retired neurosurgeon-turned-politician, who's in second place in most GOP presidential polls, said he is not worried by Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton's vow to impose gun control through the power of an executive order.
"I'll say it again, I really don't think Hillary is going to be the nominee," Carson said.
"Because even the Democrats are smart enough to realize that that would be a disaster for them.
"I believe [Vice President Joe] Biden will get in. If they're logical in any sense that would probably be what they would do."
He adds it is not too late "by any stretch" for Biden to challenge Clinton this late in the race.
"It would be under normal circumstances, but under these circumstances he'll be welcomed with open arms," said Carson, referring to Biden mourning the death of his 46-year-old son, Beau.
Carson agreed with Malzberg that if Biden had already entered the race, he would likely have been called out as a racist for some past gaffs.
In 2007, Biden called Obama, then his running mate, the "first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy," according to the
Washington Free Beacon. He also once reportedly adopted a drawl and told a group of black supporters that Republicans are "gonna put ya'll back in chains."
"Oh, yes, by the media standards [he'd would have]," Carson said. "They would've targeted … him already, but it's OK because it's all going to come out in the wash.
"And when we are able to be face to face in a debate and have an intelligent conversation at least on one side, it will become very apparent to the people."
Carson was critical of a GOP-bashing remark Biden made over the weekend as he addressed supporters of the Human Rights Campaign and praised strides gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people have made in gaining civil rights.
"The American people are already with you. Look at the numbers. Oh, there are homophobes still left. Most of them are running for president, I think," Biden quipped.
Carson told Malzberg: "They’re exposing themselves for what they are," he said. "It'll be very nice because this election will be one of the most clear-cut elections in the history of America.
"What kind of country are we? Are we one that is of, for and by the people or of, for and by the government? It’s not going to ever be more crystal clear than that."
Asked about what his first priorities would be as the nation's 45th commander-in-chief, Carson said he would quickly focus on defense.
"I am very concerned about the weakness of our military. Our Navy is at its smallest level since 1917, the Air Force since 1940," he said.
"We're losing personnel like crazy, our generals are retiring, veterans are killing themselves at the rate of 22 to 23 a week — we have to shore up our military. If we don't get our military right, nothing else matters."
Secondly, Carson wants to address the government's mountain of debt.
"It's a house of cards, it's about to collapse. The only reason we can sustain the level of debt we have is because we're the reserve currency of the world," Carson told Malzberg.
"We can print money, which we're doing in a very irresponsible way, which is just accelerating our demise.
"When people come around talking about free college, I mean that is the most absurd thing when we are on the brink of collapse financially. It's craziness."
With a vote scheduled in the House on Thursday, Carson was asked about who he would like to see replace John Boehner as the new House Speaker.
He declined to give a name and instead suggested more time be available to study those who want the job.
"I would like to see an open process, almost like a real campaign where people get out there, talk about their vision of America so that we can actually see what it is they believe and what they are willing to do," Carson said.
"Let's not just blindly go through this process or say who is due next and put them up there. This is such an important time in our country."
Asked if, as some conservatives have suggested, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should perhaps follow Boehner out the door, Carson agreed.
"It would not be an inappropriate thing to change leadership from time to time," he said of the Kentucky Republican who was close to Boehner.
"I believe that the leader should be somebody that the followers want to follow and it seems to me like a logical thing to do is to ask them."
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