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Republican candidate Carson says Muslims unfit to be US president

Carson says he thought US president's faith should be "consistent with the Constitution"

Reuters September 20, 2015

US Republican candidate Dr. Ben Carson speaks during the Heritage Action for America presidential candidate forum in Greenville, South Carolina September 18, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS

WASHINGTON: Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson on Sunday said Muslims were unfit to be president of the United States, arguing their faith was inconsistent with American principles.

"I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that," Carson told NBC Meet the Press.

Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who has been near the top of opinion polls for the crowded field of Republican candidates, said he thought a US president's faith should be "consistent with the Constitution."

Read: Muslim student arrested in US after home-built clock mistaken for bomb

Asked if he thought Islam met this bar, Carson said: "No, I do not."

Carson gave up some ground in a CNN/ORC poll released on Sunday, slipping to third place from second with 14 percent of support. Sixteen Republicans are seeking the party's nomination for the U.S. presidential election in November 2016.

The CNN/ORC poll showed real estate mogul Donald Trump continues to lead the Republican contest with the support of 24 percent of registered voters, down from 32 percent in a previous poll. Former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina surged into second place with 15 percent support.

"It's obviously a very important moment because now more people know who I am," Fiorina told "Fox News Sunday." "We know, based on what's happened before this debate, that as people come to know me and they understand who I am and what I've done and most importantly what I will do they tend to support me."

Trump, asked on CNN's "State of the Union" about the poll results, replied: "Well, I'm a little surprised, because other polls have come out where I actually picked up after the debate, I actually gained after the debate. On NBC's "Meet The Press" on Sunday, Trump was asked whether he'd accept a Muslim president, and replied: "Some people have said it already happened."

COMMENTS (11)

Sauood | 8 years ago | Reply The people dragging Pakistan into this debate should know that constitution of the country decides its laws. As Pakistan is NOT A SECULAR country and even our constitution doesn't allow any Non-Muslim to be a presidential candidate. But in case of European, American and other countries including INDIA who CLAIM TO BE secular shouldn't even indulge in such debates. As the constitution of those countries clearly states that religion is solely an individual's choice and religious laws won't interfere with the laws of the country then how come such candidates who don't even know their own constitution properly are even allowed to run presidential campaigns.

VIVEK YADAV | 8 years ago | Reply Ah , Pakistanis are chastising Ben Carson for his statement... All the while , back here in Pakistan non-muslims are barred by law from ever becoming the President . Oh , the irony is flowing quite thick here . Can't breathe !! Too much , irony !