Ron Paul Blasts Michele Bachmann: 'She Hates Muslims'

By The Blaze

18 December 11

epublican presidential candidate Ron Paul on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" Friday. (NBC)

Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul took some strong digs at his fellow candidates Friday, saying Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann "hates Muslims" and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum doesn't like "gay people and Muslims."

Paul made his comments on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" when the host asked him for his take on the other GOP contenders in the field.

On Bachmann, the Texas congressman said: "She doesn't like Muslims, she hates Muslims, she wants to go get them."

"Wow, okay, that's not good," Leno said.

And Santorum?

"Gay people and Muslims," Paul answered.

The rest of Paul's evaluations were decidedly tamer. On Mitt Romney, Paul simply said, "He used to be governor of Massachusetts."

When Leno pointed out his answer sounded like one Texas Gov. Rick Perry might give, Paul added: "Maybe that's what he should stay as, being governor."

On Newt Gingrich: "He should run for Speaker of the House again."

On former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman: "He's a good diplomat, he knows what diplomacy is all about."

Update: Bachmann has responded to Paul's comments and said she does not "hate" Muslims.

"I haven't heard that," she told Politico Saturday during a campaign stop in Iowa. "It's kind of an odd thing to say, I think. I think the Iranian threat is real. That doesn't mean that I hate the Muslim people."