Republican candidate Carson says Muslims unfit to be U.S. president
- 9 years ago
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.
The remarks by Carson, who is near the top of opinion polls for the crowded field of Republican candidates, followed a controversy that erupted when front-runner Donald Trump declined to challenge anti-Muslim comments made by a supporter on Friday.
America's largest Muslim civil rights group condemned Carson for his statement, which it said should disqualify him from the presidential contest because the U.S. Constitution forbids religious tests for holding public office.
Carson had been rising in polls although he gave up some ground in a CNN/ORC poll released on Sunday, slipping to third place from second with 14 percent of support.
The remarks by Carson, who is near the top of opinion polls for the crowded field of Republican candidates, followed a controversy that erupted when front-runner Donald Trump declined to challenge anti-Muslim comments made by a supporter on Friday.
America's largest Muslim civil rights group condemned Carson for his statement, which it said should disqualify him from the presidential contest because the U.S. Constitution forbids religious tests for holding public office.
Carson had been rising in polls although he gave up some ground in a CNN/ORC poll released on Sunday, slipping to third place from second with 14 percent of support.