Bernie Sanders slaps down Ben Carson for saying a Muslim can't be president

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders slapped down remarks by Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson on Sunday in which Carson said that no Muslim should ever be president of the United States.

According to The Hill, Sanders said, "I am very disappointed that Dr. Carson would suggest that a Muslim should not become president of the United States."

The statement went on to say, "It took us too long to overcome the prejudice against electing a Catholic or an African-American president. People should be elected to office based on their ideas, not their religion or the color of their skin.”

Carson was appearing on Meet the Press on Sunday when host Chuck Todd asked, "Should a president’s faith matter?”

“I guess it depends on what that faith is,” Carson said. “If it is inconsistent with the values and principles of America, then of course it should matter.”

“Do you believe that Islam is consistent with the Constitution?” said Todd.

“No, I do not,” Carson quickly replied. “I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not.”

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) -- who was the first Muslim-American elected to Congress -- also responded to Carson's remarks, as well as those by Donald Trump, saying that the two men are "out of touch with who we are as a people.”

“The freedom of religion is a founding principle of our nation,” Ellison said. “Every American should be disturbed that these national figures are engaging in and tolerating blatant acts of religious bigotry.”