Jeremiah Wright and James Carville

At the risk of being theologically incorrect, it's irresistible to point out a stylistic similarity between the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and that fire-and-brimstone preacher of the Church of Clinton, James Carville.

In his Easter sermon on Fox News, Carville thundered over the betrayal by Bill Richardson, a former member of the Clinton flock:

"Mr. Richardson's endorsement came right around the anniversary of the day when Judas sold out for 30 pieces of silver, so I think the timing is appropriate, if ironic."

Not quite "God damn America," but apocalyptic enough to make Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson distance himself from Carville's pronouncement as Barack Obama did from his pastor's more extreme expressions. "If I had said it," Wolfson confessed, "I would apologize."

In preaching to the choir, true believers sometimes get carried away, but their passion is undeniable and not negotiable.

The Rev. Carville did not back down in the face of criticism. "I wanted to use a very strong metaphor to make my point," he said. Rev. Wright would no doubt understand.