EXCLUSIVE: Herman Cain Tells ThinkProgress ‘I Would Not’ Appoint A Muslim In My Administration

[kpete]

ThinkProgress caught up with the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza today at the Conservative Principles Conference in Des Moines, Iowa, to discuss his comments further. We asked him, in light of his statements on Islam, would he be comfortable appointing any Muslims in his administration. Rather than skirting the question or hedging his answer, as most presidential aspirants are wont to do, Cain was definitive: “No, I would not”:

KEYES: You came under a bit of controversy this week for some of the comments made about Muslims in general. Would you be comfortable appointing a Muslim, either in your cabinet or as a federal judge?

CAIN: No, I would not. And here’s why. There is this creeping attempt, there is this attempt to gradually ease Sharia law and the Muslim faith into our government. It does not belong in our government. This is what happened in Europe. And little by little, to try and be politically correct, they made this little change, they made this little change. And now they’ve got a social problem that they don’t know what to do with hardly.

the rest:
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/03/26/herman-cain-muslims/

[DavidDvorkin]

1. No religious test for office

That's in that Constitution they love so much.

[jemelanson]

3. That only applies to the part that they agree with. The other parts

they just ignore.

[Hugabear]

2. Most rethugs wouldnt appoint Herman Cain either

He's black

[RZM]

6. I don't know about all of that

Republicans frequently put the few blacks they have in positions of prominence. Bush's first cabinet had both Rice and Powell in it. Michael Steele was also RNC chair (apparently Ken Blackwell came in fourth in the 2009 elections for that spot). For years Republicans have been trying this type of outreach with black voters (Party of Lincoln, etc.). It's partly lip-service, but it's also partly serious. Serious or not, it's certainly quixotic.

[Hugabear]

13. Good point

I could see a rethug making him their White House Chief of Staff or Spokesman.

They do have a habit of dragging out a few tokens to "prove" their diversity. Kind of like how racists usually say they have a black friend.

[RZM]

4. I don't think Obama has appointed any Muslims either

What a lame comment that is clearly intended to score points with the anti-Muslim crowd.

[GodlessBiker]

8. Yeah, he has. Just google "Obama appoints Muslim."

[RZM]

10. I guess he has

Including on the 'presidential advisory commission for Asians and Pacific Islanders.' That's a sure road toward seizing power ;)

[chade]

5. This is the weirdest/most obvious part about Rep talking points

They don't modify them in the slightest. Notice how 'creeping' is *always* attached when they mention anything about Sharia law. Always 'creeping Sharia,' never 'seeping,' or 'invading,' or 'Muslims are trying to conform our laws to theirs.' I suppose this is good branding, and repetition helps memorability, so I know *why* they do it like this, but it's just so obvious that it's incredulous. I guess this one is more prominent to me because it's such a weird turn of phrase.

[RZM]

9. Maybe they are just big Metallica fans?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXWq3f01e2U

[jmowreader]

11. Sharia isn't the only thing that creeps

If the Democratic Party decided it needed to strengthen the rule regarding the arsenic content of baby food, the Republicans would call it "creeping socialism." Arsenic is All Natural, don'tcha know, and anything that's All Natural has GOT to be good for babies, right? Anyway...the Republicans call everything the Democrats want to do "creeping socialism."

This kinda mixes me up some: it was a Republican who taught our government agents to say "Ihre Papiere, bitte!" and conducted the first large-scale gun grab in American history, but we're the creeping socialists.

[Liberal_Dog]

7. It's Not Like He'll Have To Worry About It Anyway. nt

[Canuckistanian]

12. It's a mental disease. It's got to be.

Wilful ignorance to the point of sheer fucking absurdity. And they get elected.

Some psychologist should write a paper on this.

[muntrv]

14. Is Godfather's Pizza still around? I thought they went belly up!

[Tommy_Carcetti]

15. Well, he certainly knows his U.S. Constitution.

Wait, what's this about no religious tests for public office? Huh?