Dr. Ben Carson thinks we’re just so ridiculous to suppose there might be something racist about his belief that a Muslim president would likely place Sharia law over the U.S. Constitution. And Fox’s Megyn Kelly was there to help!
As you may recall, Carson has come under fire for his statement on Meet The Press, “I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that.” Since then, Fox News hosts have been strongly supportive. Megyn Kelly has now joined the flock.
First, Kelly played a clip of a spokesman from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), asking Carson to withdraw from the race because of those remarks, saying he’s “unfit to lead” and that his views are “inconsistent” with the U.S. Constitution.
The relevant passage of the U.S. Constitution is Article VI, which says: “No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.”
Instead of focusing on the substance of the criticism of Carson, Kelly, who is an attorney, herself, accused CAIR of breaking the law. She suggested that their criticism of Carson violated IRS rules which prohibit 501(c)(3) organizations from participating, directly or indirectly, in any political campaign, whether on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate.
"So maybe CAIR is in some trouble," Kelly sneered. Then she helped ensure Carson is not.
Kelly began by continuing an earlier discussion in which she just couldn’t understand how Daily Beast writer Dean Obeidallah could have called the 2016 GOP campaign “the most racist presidential campaign ever.”
“Isn’t that what the leftists always do when they can’t find anything else to talk about?” Carson said condescendingly. “They drop back to racism. That’s their standard defense. And it’s so silly when you stop and think about it.”
Well, not really. Obeidallah wrote:
Yes, we do understand exactly what Carson and the other GOP candidates are saying. It’s no longer code; it’s now in our face. The GOP’s 2016 platform is that Latino immigrants are coming to rape you, blacks want handouts, gays are waging a holy war versus Christians, and Muslims are not loyal to America.
He’s referring, of course, to Donald Trump’s comments about Mexicans, along with his Willie Horton-style ad, Jeb Bush’s comments about blacks voting for Democrats because they offer “free stuff” and Ted Cruz' accusation that gays are waging a “jihad” against “people of faith” who don’t support gay marriage. As well as Carson’s.
Carson continued by pretending his bigotry is not bigoted because Muslims can be different races. And then pretending he never really opposed a Muslim president so long as the person isn’t “too” Muslim, which is obviously a concern to him.
CARSON: What I’ve talked about is a system of living which is what Islam is. It has nothing to do with race. You know, there are people of lots of different races who embrace that. And as I’ve said before, it really doesn’t matter what a person’s religion is if in fact they’re willing to accept the American standards, American principles, American values and to subjugate their beliefs to our constitution, then, you know, that’s very acceptable. I don’t know anything racist about that.
Kelly gave Carson a pass on this contradiction with his earlier statement. Instead, she cited a statement by Fox News contributor Charles Krauthammer in which he said that the Constitution doesn’t just say “what you’re not allowed to do” but also suggests “what you shouldn’t want to do” and that another purpose is to “discourage and delegitimize this kind of authoritarian thinking,” meaning Carson’s.
Apparently, we can add “constitutional expert” to Dr. Carson’s newly-minted resumé.
CARSON: Well, I think Charles Krauthammer usually has pretty solid information and has things to say that are worthwhile. I think he may be a little off base there. And there’s nothing that I have said that is in any way contradicting our Constitution. In fact, I have a book coming out next week about the Constitution that really breaks it down. And I hope that Dr. Krauthammer will read that book.
Kelly quipped, “That’s a disagreement of the doctors. We’re going to get a third opinion now.” But even though she’s the one with the legal degree, she didn’t offer a third opinion. She merely changed the subject.
Watch this latest version of Carson rehab below, from the September 29 The Kelly File.
Carson was wrong then. He’s still wrong now.
And I think it’s time for Megyn to let her hair go back to its natural color. The bleach is starting to really affect whatever brain cells she still has. (For a supposed lawyer, she certainly doesn’t act like one. Then again, her focus was more along the lines of business and commercial law, areas where the Constitution doesn’t really play much of a role.)
How ignorant are you Republicans anyway, geez the Bill of Rights is pretty clear on the Free Speech question and the Constitution forbids religious litmus tests for office. But hey God’s law and all that nonsense right? I mean if Davis can defy the Constitution why not a Muslim?
When I lived in Saudi Arabia I interacted with many nice people. There are millions of Islamic people here in the U.S.
I am way more concerned with the American Christian Taliban and the spread of Christian fundamentalism in this country. Fascist creationists screwing our schools up.
Xenophobic dumbass.
El 84
Anyone is stupid if they think a Muslim POTUS would not attack me with fervor.
