Christopher Hitchens--Bigot? You Decide

Christopher Hitchens has now placed himself firmly in the Pat Buchanan branch of the Republican Party; meaning he is no longer to be considered worthy of being in it or associated with it. He not only brought disrepute to conservative Republicans but to the Hugh Hewitt Show, its listeners and to Hugh himself when Hugh interviewed him on his Wednesday, November 8th show.

His brazen religious bigotry, revealed in the interview excerpt below, is unpardonable. It is one of the differences between Democrats and Republicans that the Republicans kick their crazies out while the Democrats embrace theirs for their money.

Hugh, do the right thing and disqualify Hitchens as a consultant/commentator on your program. I can understand how the sheer, unexpected shock of his unsolicited, hateful, anti-Mormon comment left you laughing nervously while attempting to challenge him on the matter. In retrospect it would have been best if you had simply hung up on him.

The next best thing will be to not pick up the phone the next time he calls; and to have Duane remove his name from his Rolodex.

Interview Exceprt

HH: And so, what do you think of Harry Reid?

CH: Oh, God. I mean, I just don't...where do we find such men?

HH: (laughing)

CH: A Mormon mediocrity, and extraordinary, sort of reactionary, nullity.

HH: Now isn't that bigoted to say a Mormon mediocrity, Christopher Hitchens?

CH: No, no. I'm always in favor of pointing out which cult people belong to.

HH: You see, I think that is very, very harsh and offensive, but I
will allow the Mormon listeners to call you on that.

CH: No, he's a Smithite, for Heaven's sake. I mean, he believes that some idiot found gold plates buried in the ground.

HH: But it is religious bigotry to call that out. And do you make similar comments...

CH: No, it's not me who says he's a Mormon. Excuse me, it's he who says it.

HH: I know that, but I still think...

CH: I say that anyone who believes that stuff is an idiot.

HH: I know you believe that, but isn't it sort of randomly bigoted to bring that out and throw it onto the table?

CH: Not at all, no. It's essential to point out...

HH: I disagree.

CH: Especially at a time when people are always saying it's the Republican Party that's run by religious crackpots and nutbags. And it's very important to point out these people have a big foothold in the Democratic Party, too.

HH: I think that's terribly religiously bigoted. I think that is up there with, like, saying about Jesse Jackson that he's African-American in the course of commenting on him.

CH: Well, I don't really see how he could keep that a secret, how one could...

HH: Well, it's not a secret that he's a Mormon. It's just sort of a random attack on a guy's faith. I don't like Reid at all, but...

CH: No, I think less of him because of the stupid cult of which he's a member. I would say the same if he was a Scientologist.

HH: All right. I'm going to move on, but duly note, please, that I think that's unnecessary and wrong . . .