A reader writes to Sully and upbraids him for being nice to Pat Robertson. Seems that even some of Sully's contributors know the difference between a viper and a gartersnake, a distinction which seems to have escaped Sully on more than one occasion, on any number of things, especially concerning anything republican. This reader says to Sully:

"...I take your arguments seriously enough to consider them as those of a thoughtful human, not the spawn of Satan. Thus I was particularly annoyed to read the snippet today on "the social right's darling, Pat Robertson." As you can tell, I'm a social conservative, but I also consider Robertson an ignorant bigot and fast talker who is an embarrassment to me (and many of my friends on the social right). I refrain from associating you with nutbar leftist homosexuals; I'd appreciate it if you would refrain from associating me and other social conservatives with Robertson (whom I loathe)."

I take the point. But there was a time when Robertson was regarded as a pillar of the consrvative establishment, defended by the likes of Norman Podhoretz, etc.

Except Twain uses the words, "honest writer".