Ron Paul has said Rick Santorum “hates”
gays and Michele Bachmann “hates” Muslims.
The 76-year-old Paul made his comments
during an appearance Friday on NBC's late night talk show The
Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
When host Jay Leno asked Paul his
thoughts on his GOP rivals, Paul offered short but powerful swipes.
On Mitt Romney: “He used to be
governor of Massachusetts. … Maybe that's what he should stay at:
governor ”
“Maybe, [Newt Gingrich] should run
for speaker of the House again,” Paul said with a laugh.
Bachmann, Paul said, “doesn't like
Muslims. She hates Muslims. She wants to go get 'em.”
Bachmann denied the charge in comments
to ABC News, saying that Paul does not understand the threat Iran's
suspected nuclear program poses against Israel and United States.
“Of course I don't hate Muslims,
that's an absolutely outrageous statement,” Bachmann said. “With
all due respect to my colleague, I think Ron Paul would make a very
dangerous president because he doesn't understand this threat.”
On Santorum, Leno noted that he doesn't
seem to talk about anything other than gay people.
Paul said Santorum does not like “gay
people and Muslims.” (An audio clip is embedded in the right panel
of this page.)