WASHINGTON — Keith Ellison has a message for Herman Cain, the Republican presidential candidate who has said he would be uncomfortable with a Muslim in his cabinet: Pay attention to the Pledge of Allegiance.

Cain has said he would require Muslims to pledge loyalty to the United States before allowing them to serve in his cabinet, but he wouldn’t ask that from people of other religions. He was asked about the issue at the GOP presidential debate on Monday.

“I would not be comfortable because you have peaceful Muslims and then you have militant Muslims, those that are trying to kill us,” he said. “And so, when I said I wouldn't be comfortable, I was thinking about the ones that are trying to kill us, number one.”

Ellison, a Minnesota Democrat who was the first Muslim elected to Congress, was asked about Cain’s answer on MSNBC this morning. The Daily Caller has the transcript:

“Well, you got violent Christians and good Christians,” he said. “You got violent Jews and good Jews. You got people of all — what he said about Muslims is true for every community. So it’s absurd that he would make a distinction when it comes to Muslims. Look, Mr. Cain has made a lot of statements about his hostility toward the Muslim community. Now trying to backtrack but not doing a good job of it  …

“I would ask him to say look, the Pledge of Allegiance said ‘and liberty and justice for all.’ ‘All’ means all and doesn’t mean ‘except one group or another.’ I would ask Herman Cain to review that Pledge of Allegiance he swears when he gets up.”

 Devin Henry can be reached at dhenry@minnpost.com.