Republican Candidate Carson Says Muslims Unfit to Be U.S. President

U.S. Republican candidate Dr. Ben Carson speaks during the
Heritage Action for America presidential candidate forum
in Greenville, South Carolina September 18, 2015.

REUTERS.COM: 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's "Meet the Press."

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.

Carson, a Christian who says he got a core idea for his tax proposals from the Bible, said he thought a U.S. president's faith should be "consistent with the Constitution."

Asked if he thought Islam met this bar, the retired neurosurgeon said: "No, I do not." » | Jason Lange | Washington | Additional reporting by Alistair Bell and Eric Walsh; Editing by Ros Russell and Eric Walsh | Sunday, September 20, 2015