Carson Campaign Says CNN Interview Wasn’t Cut Short Over Questions

By Mark Joyella 

Armstrong Williams, business manager for Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson, tells The Washington Post he cut off an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper over time concerns–not Tapper’s questions.

“Our issue was never with the line of questioning,” said Williams. “I just kept asking the producers to wrap,” he recalled. “It was an issue of time.”

Tapper had been pressing Carson on comments the candidate made saying he would “not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation.” Tapper asked a series of questions, including asking Carson about his faith and race–before Williams ended the interview:

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Tapper said: “You’re assuming that Muslim Americans put their religion ahead of the country.”

And Carson responded: “I’m assuming that if you accept all the tenets of Islam that you would have a very difficult time abiding under the Constitution of the United States.”

Armstrong Williams, Carson’s campaign business manager, then ended the interview.

“This interview is over,” he said, speaking off-camera.

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