Hitchens and Sharpton

Word of the debate between Christopher Hitchens and Al Sharpton is getting around. Mostly it is for the comments about Mitt Romney by Sharpton.

But, again, there was a debate.

The crux dealt with "Is God great?"

Sharpton, a reverend.

Reverend Al Sharpton, is the President of the National Action Network (NAN), and one of America's most-renowned civil rights leaders. Whether it was his run for President of the United States in the Democratic Party primaries in 2004 or his use of passive resistance and non-violent civil disobedience, Reverend Sharpton has had an impact on national politics because of his strong commitment to equality and progressive politics.As the head of one of the most well-known civil rights organizations that currently has over thirty-eight chapters and affiliates across the United States, Reverend Al Sharpton has been applauded by both supporters and non-supporters for challenging the American political establishment to be inclusive to all people regardless of race, gender, class or beliefs. This summer across the country, Reverend Al Sharpton will launch his own nationally-syndicated news-talk program. Rush Limbaugh has said on his own radio program that "Reverend Sharpton has the best shot of anyone at becoming the 'Limbaugh of the Left'" by launching a major hard news driven radio show that attracts a strong following. Reverend Sharpton is the author of Al On America and Go and Tell Pharoah.

Hitchens, an atheist.

Christopher Hitchens is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and a visiting professor of liberal studies at the New School. He regularly writes for the Atlantic Monthly and Slate, and is the author of numerous books, including Letters to a Young Contrarian and Why Orwell Matters. He was a longtime contributor to The Nation, writing a biweekly column for the magazine from 1982 to 2002. He was named one of the "Top 100 Public Intellectuals" by Foreign Policy and Britain's Prospect. His new book is God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.

For a blow by blow of it go to Richard Dawkins.net.

The New York Public Library has an audio recording.


For more of Christopher Hitchens, look at his appearance on Charlie Rose.