Muslim-Americans and Ben Carson

'The O'Reilly Factor' investigates some Muslim-American clerics demanding the GOP candidate withdraw from the Presidential race

This is a RUSH transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," September 24, 2015. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
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O'REILLY: And in the "Impact Segment" tonight, Muslim-Americans and Dr. Ben Carson.

As you may know, Dr. Carson said he would have difficulty supporting a Muslim running for President. Upon hearing that the PC crowd, always looking to demonize immediately branded Carson a bigot.

Now, some Muslim clerics are involved.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's un-American. It's not part of the constitution

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It truly offended me that someone same race that I am would have this point of view.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Being the President of the United States of America does not say that you be a terrorist. Does not say that you be against Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism or any other religion.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (inaudible) crime and it should be judged as a crime. It should not be something which will stigmatize, demonize or criminalize the whole entire race or people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: And joining us now from Washington is Dr. Carson. So what do you say first off to those imams?

DR. BEN CARSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, first of all, I would say that, you know, if anybody listened to that interview, I said quite clearly that anyone, it doesn't matter who they are and what their religion is, if they subscribe to American values and are willing to place our constitution above their religious beliefs, I have no problem with them.

O'REILLY: Ok. And I have the transcript. You did say that. But you also said, "I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation." So, if you said I would not advocate we put a Catholic in charge of the nation as some people did, when Alf Landon ran for president and Kennedy ran or if you said I don't advocate we put a Jewish person in the White House. You would get the same outcry, probably more outcry.

So do you see the point of the other side?

CARSON: No. I you wouldn't advocate that we put a Christian in there either if their agenda was a theocracy. If they were not willing to subject their religious beliefs to the constitution I would not advocate for them either. It's not specifically about a Muslim.

O'REILLY: You see how loaded this -- this whole thing is loaded. It's loaded.

And I want to point out to the audience in case they didn't see your interview with NBC, this came after the Trump was questioned in New Hampshire where the guy said you know there is Muslim training camps and Obama is a Muslim and Trump didn't say anything to him one way so they brought this to you.

Number one, do you think the question you were asked by the NBC guy was meant to trip you up? Do you believe the question was meant to be loaded and put you in a bad spot?

CARSON: Whether it was or not, I don't mind answering the question because I'm not a politician so I'm not going to be looking for the politically correct answer. I'm going to be looking for the truth.

And the fact of the matter is this is America. We have our own set of values and principles. I'm not willing to subjugate that to another belief system, to another philosophy. This is America. If you want to live in another system, go somewhere else. You are welcome to be here, but no one else gets to change who we are.

O'REILLY: Ok.

CARSON: I'm finding that that is resonating with the American people. We are very welcoming people, but we are not willing to change who we are.

O'REILLY: Then are the tenets of Islam as described in the Koran, do they line up with the tenets of Judeo-Christian philosophy that the founding fathers used to forge the constitution, our laws and our nation? Tenets of Islam, Judeo-Christian philosophy -- do they line up together?

CARSON: I don't believe that they do. You know, when I look at Islamic nations what I see are people who don't give women equal rights. In some places women aren't even allowed to drive.

O'REILLY: But that's political, not religious though. I know they use the religious as an excuse but in some Muslim nations like Morocco you don't have that. It depends on the politics of the country, does it not?

CARSON: Right. Well, the fact that a person has a Muslim background that doesn't bother me at all. I know lots of people with Muslim backgrounds who are fully assimilated into America and accept American values and accept our constitution. I don't have any problem with that.

But this question was asked of me in the context of me having already said that which would implicate that you are talking about somebody who doesn't share those values.

O'REILLY: Look, it's an intellectual argument that the press, of course, and I don't even know if the imams even heard what you said.

On the subject of this, you attended the Pope's speech in front of Congress today. There were some allusions to immigration. Do you believe the Pope was espousing open borders in that speech? Did you take that away?

CARSON: Well, you know, I had a difficult time from the chamber hearing him and I didn't have a transcript and understanding what he was saying. But, you know, hopefully what he is saying is that, you know, immigration is a good thing. And it strengthens nations and we are all immigrants if you go back far enough. I have no problem with that.

We have a very excellent, you know, system of legal immigration. We accept more immigrants, I believe, than any other place. So you are preaching to the choir if you are talking here about immigration.

O'REILLY: Yes, I'm going to read the transcript of the Pope's immigration remarks in the next segment so everybody knows what he said because that's going to be the hot debate whether the Pope wants open borders everywhere or he doesn't. And I have a take on it but I'm going to hold it to the next segment.

CARSON: Ok.

O'REILLY: Hey, Doctor, you are a stand up guy. You always come on and answer the questions. We really appreciate that.

CARSON: Thank you very much -- Bill.

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