Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is chiding the media for “absurd hypothetical” questions to Republican presidential candidates about whether they could ever support a Muslim for president.
“This is a dumb game that the press is playing,” Jindal said in a Monday statement distributed to reporters. “It is an absurd hypothetical question.” (RELATED: Carson: Islam Is Not Consistent With The Constitution)
Saying he will “indulge the media for a moment and play their gotcha game,” Jindal went on to say: “If you can find me a Muslim candidate who is a Republican, who will fight hard to protect religious liberty, who will respect the Judeo-Christian heritage of America, who will be committed to destroying ISIS and radical Islam, who will condemn cultures that treat women as second class citizens and who will place their hand on the Bible and swear to uphold the Constitution, then yes, I will be happy to consider voting for him or her.”
“If you can’t,” Jindal said, “I’ll settle for voting for a Christian governor from Louisiana.”
Republicans have been fielding questions from reporters about Islam and U.S. politics since last week, when an attendee at a Donald Trump rally in New Hampshire stated that he believed President Obama is a Muslim. (RELATED: Trump Argues ‘There’s A Problem’ With Some Muslims)
The latest round of questions to Republicans — whether they would support a Muslim president — started Sunday, when Chuck Todd of NBC’s Meet the Press asked Ben Carson if he believes Islam is consistent with the Constitution. (RELATED: ‘Trashing The Constitution’ — Muslim CNN Guest Calls On Carson To Withdraw)
Carson replied that he doesn’t and he “would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that.”