A whack job talking about whacked religions...

Ben Carson: I'd accept a Muslim president who rejected Islam

By Nick Gass

Ben Carson stood by his comments that a Muslim should not lead the United States on Monday night, elaborating on exactly what he had meant during an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" over the weekend.

"Absolutely, I stand by the comments. What we have to do , we have to recognize that this is America, and we have a Constitution, and we do not put people at the leadership of our country whose faith might interfere with them carrying out the duties of the Constitution," the retired neurosurgeon explained to Fox News' Sean Hannity. "So if, for instance, you believe in a theocracy — I don't care if you're a Christian and you're running for president and you want to make this into a theocracy — I'm not going to support you. I'm not going to advocate you being the president."

Carson went on to say that he would support someone with a Muslim background who is "willing to reject the tenets [of Islam] and accept the way of life that we have and clearly will swear to place the Constitution above their religion."

"Then, of course, they will be considered infidels and heretics, but at least I would be then quite willing to support them," Carson said.

Hannity then said he heard Carson tempering his earlier remarks and asked the candidate whether, if there were a candidate who was a moderate Muslim who "denounced Sharia law, that denounced radical Islamists, that denounced quotes in the Quran about killing the infidels or not taking Christians and Jews for your friends, that denounced the controversial life of Muhammad, you would be open to that Muslim running for president?"

"Of course," Carson replied.

"OK, so basically the controversy's over in that sense. Did you mean to say radical Islamist or one that supports a form of government as it's practiced in Muslim countries. Is that what you meant to say?" Hannity pressed.

That was "implied" in his remark to Todd, Carson said.

"I prefaced that by saying I don't care what religion or faith someone belongs to if they're willing to subjugate that to the American way and to our Constitution., then I have no problem with that. That's what I said before that," he explained.