Gingrich's Criteria for Muslim Presidential Candidate: Person Must 'Reject Sharia Law

During a campaign stop in South Carolina former House Speaker and GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich was asked if he could ever support a Muslim American for president. He answered that it would "entirely depend if they give up sharia."

"I am totally opposed to sharia law,” he added.

“If they are a modern person integrated into the modern world and prepared to recognize all religions that’s one thing,” Gingrich began. “If they are the Saudis who demand that we respect them while they refuse to allow either a Jew or Christian to worship in Saudi Arabia, that’s something different.”

Gingrich also pointed out that the Islamization of Turkey -- once a country that prided itself on its Western sense and sensibilities -- has resulted in a 1400 percent increase in women's murders.

He added:

"I think we need a president who stands up, tells the truth, and rejects any kind of effort to impose on us a sense of guilt because we believe in our religion and we are prepared to tell the truth and I am totally opposed to a State Department meeting a week ago with the organization of Islamic countries who are seeking to censor any comment about Islam because I think it is a fundamental violation of our right of free speech as Americans...But within that framework a truly modern person who happened to worship would not be a threat. A person who belonged any kind of belief in sharia, any kind of effort to impose that on the rest of us, would be a mortal threat.”

Listen to Gingrich's remarks on what he believes would be required of a Muslim running for the highest office in the land. Video courtesy of TPM: