Dr. Ben Carson the dark horse for GOP in 2016?

In case you missed it last week, Dr. Ben Carson, Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, made headlines at the National Prayer Breakfast speaking just feet away from President Obama. Dr. Carson’s words struck a chord with many Americans as he lamented the damage done by political correctness and offered simple non-government solutions to challenges such as providing access to health care to all Americans.

In case you missed it, here is Dr. Carson’s entire speech:

Now, as for 2016, his 27 minute platform has launched some discussion in the political world and National Journal reports on the possibilities:

If conservatives are looking for a political outsider with an inspiring rags-to-riches story and who could effectively challenge President Obama’s policies on health care and taxes while also quoting Scripture and criticizing political correctness, look no further than Ben Carson.

Carson, raised by a single mother in a poverty-stricken home, who went on to become a top Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon, gave a nearly 30-minute speech at the National Prayer Breakfast last week that indirectly criticized many of the policies promulgated by President Obama — all while the president sat just to his side.

A YouTube video of Carson’s speech has since racked up more than 1 million views. A Wall Street Journal editorial ran under the headline “Ben Carson for President.” Carson told Sean Hannity on Fox News, “If the Lord grabbed me by the collar and made me do it, I would. It’s not my intention.” Hannity replied, “I would vote for you in a heartbeat.”

In particular, Carson’s views on some of Obama’s most hard-fought-for policies –- health care and income tax levels — have caused many on the right to talk about his political prospects. On health care, Carson said every child born in the U.S. should receive a medical savings account, which could receive pretax contributions.

Dr. Carson’s 27 minute speech may have simply brought to light the fact that many Americans feel neither side adequately represents their views and isn’t ready to tackle real problems facing the country. Is Dr. Carson a real political outsider that has a true shot at much higher office in 2016?