Newt Gingrich calls for Muslim test, talks about Pence as VP
Hours after a truck ran down and killed at least 80 people and injured scores more in Nice, Newt Gingrich called for a Muslim test.
In an appearance on Fox News Channel's "Hannity," Gingrich said that every person "who is of a Muslim background" in America should face a test.
"We should frankly test every person here who is of a Muslim background and if they believe in Sharia, they should be deported," he told host Sean Hannity. "Sharia is incompatible with western civilization. Modern Muslims, who have given up Sharia -- glad to have them as citizens. Perfectly happy to have them next door."
Further, the act of visiting a website that favors ISIS or al Qaeda should be a felony, Gingrich declared.
"We are behaving as though we are insane," he railed. "We're like sheep wondering why the wolves keep killing us."
He also called for mosques to be monitored for signs of jihadists. "Let me be very clear. You have to monitor the mosques," Gingrich said. "I mean if you're not prepared to monitor the mosques, this whole thing is a joke. Where do you think the primary source of recruitment is? Where do you think the primary place of indoctrination is?"
And Gingrich also suggested that not only should every "internet-based source of terrorism" be shut down. If that's not possible, he called for more drastic action.
"We should destroy them with kinetic power, using various weapons starting with predators and frankly just killing them," he said.
Gingrich also talked with Hannity about Trump's running mate selection, saying he has not been told he's not Trump's pick. "At least at the moment, it certainly looks like it's going to be my good friend, Governor Mike Pence," Gingrich said, adding, "We're very close colleagues."
Gingrich thought the announcement still might come Friday or perhaps Monday, although Trump said that he was calling off Friday's scheduled announcement of his vice president after the attack in Nice. He may not have spoken with Trump, but Gingrich did talk with Pence.
"We chatted for a while about how we're going to help each other whatever comes out of this because we're both committed to victory over Hillary Clinton," he said.