Herman Cain

Herman Cain: Many American Muslims 'Not Dedicated' To U.S., Constitution

Jon Terbush | March 29, 2011, 4:11PM

If Herman Cain becomes President, he will only consider appointing Muslims to federal positions if he can be extra-sure that they will uphold the Constitution and not sneak Sharia law into the government.

In an interview with Fox News' Neil Cavuto on Monday, Cain sought to clarify remarks he made over the weekend to a Think Progress reporter, when he said that he would not appoint any Muslims to his cabinet or federal judgeships were he President. In defending that statement, Cain said that his concern is not with Muslims per se, but with Sharia law, and that he would need a "commitment" from prospective Muslim appointees that they would remain loyal to the Constitution before he would consider giving them a job.

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2012

Herman Cain: I Would Appoint Zero Muslims To My Administration

Jon Terbush | March 28, 2011, 5:12PM

Herman Cain

Former pizza tycoon turned talk-radio host turned presidential candidate Herman Cain said over the weekend that the Muslim faith "does not belong in our government," and that were he President, he would not appoint a Muslim to his cabinet or to a federal court.

Cain's comments came at the Conservative Principles Conference in Iowa on Saturday in response to a question from a Think Progress reporter who asked directly if Cain would "be comfortable" appointing a Muslim to a federal position were he President.

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2012

Herman Cain to Muslims: Stop Trying to Convert Us to Islam

Benjy Sarlin | March 21, 2011, 3:47PM

Herman Cain

Former pizza magnate and Republican presidential contender Herman Cain has no problem with "peaceful Muslims," just with those that are trying to convert Americans to Islam.

Cain explained his views on the American Muslim community in an interview with Christianity Today.

"The role of Muslims in America is not to convert the rest of us to the Muslim religion," he said. "That I resent."

His position was sound, he explained, because "based upon the little knowledge that I have of the Muslim religion, you know, they have an objective to convert all infidels or kill them."

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Keith Ellison

Keith Ellison Shrugs Off Conservative Mockers

Evan McMorris-Santoro | March 17, 2011, 1:19PM

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN)

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) isn't sweating the mocking his emotional testimony before Rep. Peter King's (R-NY) hearings on Muslim extremism last week generated from the right.

Asked by TPM Wednesday about the drubbing he's received from conservative pundits since he teared up before King's panel, Ellison basically said, what else is new?

"Well, you know, I don't anticipate some people will appreciate everything that I say and stand for," he said. "But I'll say this: American people realize that when we say freedom and justice for all, that means all. You know, Muslims too."

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Muslims

Gallup Poll: Barely Half Of Americans Think American Muslims Support the U.S.

Jon Terbush | March 10, 2011, 2:27PM

Protesters against a proposed community center and mosque near ground zero called Cordoba House.

Not only are Muslims being viewed with a skeptical eye in Congress, but adults nationwide appear to be wary of fellow Americans who are Muslim, according to a new Gallup poll.

The results offer a surprising view of just how suspicious Americans are of not only Islam in general, but of Muslims living within the United States. The poll was released the same day that House hearings on the radicalization of American Muslims, led by Rep. Peter King (R-NY) got off to a highly emotional start.

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Islam

Only Majority Of Conservatives And Tea Partiers Think Muslims More Prone To Violence

Jon Terbush | March 10, 2011, 11:45AM

As Rep. Peter King's (R-NY) hearings on the radicalization of American muslims get underway, a new Pew poll of American adults finds that conservatives and Tea Party sympathizers are the only two political demographics of which a majority believe Islam, more so than any other religion, encourages violence.

Overall, Americans are split fairly evenly on the question. Yet the stark ideological divide reveals how sharply the issue breaks down along party lines, with far more people on the right -- and particularly to the far right -- viewing Islam as a violent religion.

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