Will Cain & Sen. Dick Durbin Face Off Over Notion That GOP Candidates Are at 'War With Islam

The Blaze and GBTV's Will Cain ended up in a noteworthy back-and-forth with Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin (Illinois) this morning.

The exchange unfolded on CNN's "Starting Point" when the show's panel began discussing the aftermath of President Barack Obama's Koran-burning apology. Cain challenged Durbin over the notion that the Republican presidential candidates are hostile towards Islam.

"Just go back in history a little bit to 9/11. President George W. Bush -- I sure had my differences with him." Durbin explained. "But I thought he got it right and he stuck with it through his Presidency. He said our war is not with the religion of Islam. Our war is with those who would distort it and turn it into terrorism."

Durbin went on to say that if you listen to the current Republican presidential nominees, it's evident "they are at war with Islam." Upon hearing this, Cain interjected and asked for a clarification and some corroboratory examples.

"Senator Durbin, I haven’t heard one thing that backs up what you suggested." he said. "Just give me an example. How are they at war with Islam?"

The senator, of course, doubled down, offering up Newt Gingrich's response to the president's handling of the Koran burnings (Gingrich was, of course, less than content with Obama's letter) as evidence of this so-called "war."

"Newt Gingrich saying that the President is guilty of appeasement, by saying that it was an unintentional act and that he believes we should not have destroyed these Korans and should have basically said we’re sorry that it occurred…" Durbin offered.

Cain, unimpressed with this excuse, said, "I don’t see how that amounts to a war on Islam."

The senator, not ready to back down to Cain's demand for a viable explanation, called the GOP's statements about Obama's apology "incendiary rhetoric" and lectured the CNN panel that "lives are at stake here."

"The President is showing leadership," Durbin continued. "The President is stepping up, trying to calm a situation. These three candidates are coming on television doing the opposite."

Watch the exchange, below:

(H/T: Mediaite)