MANCHESTER, N.H. — When ABC News moderators introduced Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson at Saturday’s debate, Carson did not walk onto the stage, but instead waited just offstage while other candidates walked past him.
At one point, a producer popped his head out from behind the curtain and tried to wave Carson onto the stage. Carson, for some reason, declined to go onto the stage until the moderators, David Muir and Martha Raddatz, finally called him out by name.
The entire introduction was a debacle, frankly. Donald Trump also did not come out onto the stage when his name was called, and he stood beside Carson for a few moments. They also nearly forgot to invite Ohio Gov. John Kasich onto the stage.
“What about Kasich?” New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie asked. Kasich was then announced.
The moderators noted that the audience’s applause was so loud that some of the candidates may not have been able to hear their names.
Carson referenced the mix-up in his first comments during the debate.
“Well, you know, when I wasn’t introduced No. 2, as was the plan, I thought maybe he thought I already had dropped out,” Carson joked.