Back in Robertson's Court

It looks like one of Chavez's goons has already criticized Pat Robertson.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- A Venezuelan lawmaker on Tuesday accused U.S. televangelist Pat Robertson of shedding his Christian values by calling for President Hugo Chavez's assassination.

Pro-Chavez lawmaker Desire Santos Amaral said she was shocked to learn that Robertson, a former U.S. presidential candidate, said on his show that if Chavez believes the United States is out to kill him, then it should. Robertson said this would stop Venezuela from becoming "a launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism."

"This man cannot be a true Christian. He's a fascist," Santos said. "This is part of the policies of aggression from the right wing in the North against our revolution."

When Pat Robertson does something that causes me to agree with a left-wing Venezuelan leader, you know there's something wrong. I'm thinking that "fascist" is too strong (can anyone say "Bush = Hitler"?), but there's no doubt that Robertson's comments were unwise, irresponsible, and counter-productive.