Ben Carson at CPAC blasts Democrats as 'purveyors of division'

Right-leaning activists and politicians from across the nation have flocked to Washington for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference Thursday, and were treated to a fiery opening address from rumored GOP presidential hopeful Ben Carson.

"It's interesting to me how the left in particular loves to re-label and name things," Carson said at the podium. "You know, for instance, if you're pro-life then you're anti-woman. If you're pro-traditional family then you're a homophobe. If you're white and you oppose a progressive black person you're a racist. If you're black and you oppose a progressive agenda, you're crazy. And, if you're black and you oppose a progressive agenda and you're pro-life and you're pro-family they don't even know what to call you."

The retired pediatric neurosurgeon characterized progressive efforts to help the poor as "throwing money" at the country's "downtrodden."

"It really is not compassionate to pat people on the head and say, 'There, there, you poor little thing I'm going to take care of all of your needs,'" Carson said.

"That's the opposite of compassion. That is making people dependent. What real compassion is is using our intellect to find ways to allow those people to climb out of dependency and realize the American dream" he continued, in a veiled reference to government welfare programs typically supported by Democrats.

Carson also spoke about U.S. relations with Iran and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and slammed Obamacare.

But, despite his meaty speech, Carson has yet to announce whether or not he'll be entering the 2016 race towards the Presidency.

He did make one thing clear: he won't be casting his vote for Hillary.

See some of the other potential Republican 2016 candidates in the gallery below: