Special Guest Appearance By Ayan Hirsi Ali

Video of the Hitch/Sharpton debate is here. I am not impressed with Hitch's choice of sparring partners on his latest book tour. Sharpton? Kirk Cameron? I thought Sharpton would be painful to watch, but was amazed to find he held his own. I wouldn't precisely say that Sharpton won the debate (I very much doubt anyone watching would be persuaded either way), but in the end, after grand claims made at the outset, Hitch is reduced to simply affirming that he is one of those who isn't built for belief, and he wants religious people to leave him alone. It's quite the come-down. At one point Hitch even slips and concedes something approaching the positive about Roman Catholicism (if it could be had without all that chastity stuff).

I can't help it, Hitch charms me, even when he's saying odious and blasphemous things ( I know. My brother was rebuking me for this weakness just last night). Oh, and there's a guest appearance at the very end.