Jerry Falwell achieved one of the demagogical milestones in American political history during the 1984 presidential race when he solemnly proclaimed that the Republican ticket of Ronald Reagan and George Herbert Walker Bush had been selected by God to lead the nation.  Democrats and other comparably appalled citizens expressed outrage at Falwell for in effect declaring, "God is a Republican".

Falwell was back busily at work again this week, declaring before a convention of the "godly faithful" that Hillary Clinton, should she be the Democratic nominee for president in 2008, would serve as an even greater lightning rod to mobilize his constituency than the Devil.  

Even some of the religious right saw potential problems stemming from such a tasteless and absurd remark.  They engaged in instant spin control, insisting that the right reverend from Virginia was only kidding and his remark was not to be taken seriously.

Whenever it appears that the Republican religious right's bigotry brigade has reached its low level watermark, a demagogue of the moment leaps forward with blinding purported spiritual impetus to enhance momentum.