CNN host grills Rev. Franklin Graham: Banning Muslim refugees is not very Christian of you

Rev. Franklin Graham insisted to CNN on Tuesday that the only way to fix the U.S. government was with Christian politicians and "biblical principles." And he argued that a ban on Muslims entering the country was "just common sense."

During an interview with CNN's Carol Costello, Graham announced that he was going to the capital of all 50 states to pray for the country.

"And then I want to encourage Christians to get out and vote," he explained. "And to vote for politicians that support biblical principles, Godly principles because those principles work. We need more Christians in politics. I want to encourage Christians to run for [political offices], but I'm not just talking at the presidential level, I'm talking about all levels of government."

"Because it's the bible principles that work," the pastor opined.

"But we're a nation of all faiths," Costello said, noting that she was a Catholic so she understood that "oftentimes praying isn't enough."

"Let's talk about biblical principles," the CNN host added. "You agree in part with Donald Trump on banning Muslims coming into the United States."

Graham, however, said that he wanted to halt immigration completely: "All people but especially those coming from the Middle East."

"Some Americans look to Canada, for example, and their warm embrace of these refugees," Costello remarked. "And they look at the way that some politicians in the United States talk [about] especially people from the Middle East, and they don't think that's very Christian."

"We know what happened on 9/11," Graham replied. "We have been at war and we have thousands of Americans that have been killed, over 11,000 since 9/11. And I think we should take all the precautions we can to protect our citizens."

"Is Islam compatible with American values?" Costello pressed.

"I don't think so," Graham said flatly before denying that he was guilty of hateful rhetoric.

Watch the video below from CNN's Newsroom, broadcast Dec. 15, 2015.