'Thank god!' How Herman Cain celebrated when he found out his 'foreign sounding' doctor was a Christian

By David Gardner

Last updated at 6:42 PM on 22nd November 2011

Herman Cain faced a backlash today over his admission that he was worried about being treated by his cancer doctor because he 'sounded too foreign.'

The Republican presidential candidate said he was worried the physician � a Dr. Abdallah � was not Christian after learning he came from Lebanon.

After being told his doctor was, indeed, a Christian, Cain said he whooped: 'Hallelujah! Thank God!'

Hallelujah! Herman Cain says he was overjoyed when he found his doctor, who hailed from Lebanon, was a Christian

The one-time GOP frontrunner, now 66, was talking about his battle with Sage IV colon cancer. He was diagnosed in 2006 but now says he is cancer free.

It is not the first time that Cain, a devout Baptist, has made controversial remarks aimed at Muslims.

He was criticized earlier this year after he said he wouldn't be 'comfortable' in appointing Muslims to his Cabinet if he is elected to the White House, but later backtracked to insist he meant extremists.

'I said to his physician assistant, I said "That sounds foreign" -- not that I had anything against foreign doctors -- but it sounded too foreign,' said Cain.

The former Godfather's Pizza boss said the assistant eased his fears after telling him the doctor hailed from Lebanon, reported Yahoo News.

Cain was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer in 2006 now says, thanks to treatment, he's cancer free

'Oh Lebanon!' he said. 'My mind immediately started thinking, wait a minute, maybe his religious persuasion is different than mine. She could see the look on my face and she said, "Don't worry, Mr. Cain, he's a Christian from Lebanon".'

'Hallelujah!' he said he replied. 'Thank God!'

He told the same story in a speech at an Atlanta area church in February, saying he first went to see a Dr Lord and was shown around the hospital by a woman called Grace.

He said it made him feel that 'God was on my side.'

Then he learned his surgeon was called Dr Abdallah, which sounded 'a little too foreign.'

'The assistant said, "Don't worry, he's a Christian," and I said, "Amen." I felt a whole lot better.'

Cain has seen his stock sink in the nomination race in recent weeks after a string of women came forward to accuse him of sexual harassment, claims that Cain has denied.

In the last week, he's been supplanted as favourite to take on President Obama by former Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2064865/Herman-Cain-thanks-god-foreign-sounding-doctor-Christian.html#ixzz1eTRZZ9he