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Tony Blair has a new disciple in Christopher Hitchens
Polemicist calls Tony Blair ‘a man with a moral pulse’ - and a strong one, at that
A MONTH after his public debate on religion with Tony Blair, polemicist - and atheist - Christopher Hitchens has surprised readers of his Vanity Fair column by admitting that his feelings towards the former PM have mellowed. He even described Blair as a man with a "moral pulse".
“I have spent my life growing a carapace to shield myself from the appeal of politicians, and nine out of 10 of my closest friends now regard Blair as the classic example of the trickster exposed, the hollow man calcified by cynicism and media manipulation,” writes Hitchens, recalling the moment Blair thanked him for defending his decision to go to war in Iraq.
“I, too, can remember gagging at his uncritical courtship of Rupert Murdoch and his annexation of the Princess Diana obsequies (even if the latter did make him the first Labour prime minister to give instructions to the royal family). But having caught him in this micro-moment of being vulnerable without exactly being wounded, I find that I simply can’t lend myself to the glib consensus. There is a moral pulse to be detected here, and it’s quite a strong one.”
Hitchens, who lives in Washington DC and has dual nationality, won the debate, staged in Toronto, despite being caught in the grips of throat cancer. He won 68 per cent of the audience's vote arguing against the motion "religion is a force for good".
This is not, however, the first time Hitchens has come to the defence of Tony Blair.
In an 2005 article for Slate, Hitchens railed against widespread criticism of Blair in the media, arguing that the then Prime Minister deserved credit for intervening in the Balkans, and for standing by a treaty with Sierra Leone to help them defend against invading forces coming from Liberia.
In conclusion, Hitchens pointed out: "He took a bold stand against the establishment and against a sullen public opinion and did so on a major issue of principle."
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Preaching against the Iraq war for a journalist was simply asking for the oxygen supply from the Downing street press conferences to be cut off. Unthinkable for a journalist professing atheism. It cost the moral Dr. Kelly his life for even declaring the lack of evidence to support invasion of Iraq. Overall religion is a force for good. Rough for those on the wrong side of Islamic law however Christianity is woven into socialism but it is also a bastion of prudery and a defense of far too much evil. How the established church which preaches the forgiveness of sins goes along with a prison service and all the wars that are declared is a mystery to me.
Hitchens is warmongering SCUM - no surprise to find him brown-nosing to his fellow neonazi Tony Blair.
I hope Hitchens dies very soon of cancer. The sooner the better for this piece of SCUM.
I think 'Disciple' is particularly inappropriate considering Hitchens stance on religion and his exceptional debate on the issues Blair and he were discussing.
Christopher Hitchens is a wonderful person who has won respect amongst his fans, debators and collegues alike. The details of his comments on Blair shows his acceptance of Blairs' viewpoints and mutual respect of a public figure. An equally respectful commentary should not sensationalise this viewpoint.