Although he defended his remarks, he also softened his comments about a Muslim’s potential to run for president.
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“We need to stop fitting everything into a PC culture”, he said.
Carson tried to clarify his statements by saying his comments applied not just to Muslims but to all religious people.
Bennett told Associated Press on Monday: “While the left wing is huffing and puffing over it, Republican primary voters are with us at least 80-20. I absolutely would not agree with that”, Carson answered.
In the interview, Sean Hannity, who hosts and who the show is named for, tries to steer Carson along his own line of thinking.
His comments quickly overshadowed Donald Trump’s failure to silence a town hall participant who called President Obama a Muslim.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Monday Carson’s comments are “entirely inconsistent with the Constitution” and the First Amendment, which clearly states that the government can not make any law “respecting an establishment of religion”.
“What this will likely do is pick up on the theme he doesn’t have that much political experience”, Burbank said because of Carson’s response to questions about Trump not correcting a supporter who suggested President Barack Obama is a Muslim.
The intensifying political fallout has proved a distraction for the retired neurosurgeon as he tries to capitalize on recent momentum in the unruly Republican presidential race.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, also running for the Republican presidential nomination, said the media is unnecessarily stirring debate on whether a Muslim can be United States president.
CARSON: Well, I guess it depends on what that faith is. “I prefaced that by saying I don’t care what faith someone belongs to, if they’re willing to subjugate that to the American way and the Constitution, I have no problem with that”.
He was then asked if he believes Islam is consistent with the Constitution. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, said the remarks revealed Carson was not ready to be commander in chief. “And I don’t think there’s any reason that we should deny that”.
“They say we know you and what you’re saying”, Carson said at the presser.
But he said the country should “never” have a theocracy and that he’d have a problem with supporting a Christian who believes in establishing one.
Again, Carson did not say Muslims should be banned from public office just that he wouldn’t advocate for them.
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Mahdi Bray, director of the American Muslim Alliance, seemed to grasp this when he told the CAIR gathering that Carson’s candidacy is “done” – because “the people of America will not elect for their president of the United States someone who holds such bigoted and un-American views”. “This country was founded on the principle that we judge each individual and that anyone of any faith is welcome here”.
