Yes, Hitchens' point is correct that Article VI only enjoins us from barring somebody from office on the basis of a religious test, and that it doesn't prevent us from supporting or voting for someone for any number of reasons. But this is stating the obvious. What I think Hitchens really means to address is the fact that people are reluctant to criticize a candidate on religious grounds, and that they should not have that fear. Being the anti-religion crusader that Hitchens is, this should come as no surprise.

People have a right to vote or not vote for someone for any reason at all. I can choose not to vote for John McCain because he has white hair; but to do so would make me a jerk. I could choose not to vote for John Edwards merely because I don't like his accent; but to do so would be idiotic. We hope people would consider only relevant facts, like a candidates' experience, policy positions, and likely appointees, but we can't force them to approach elections with any sense of maturity or civic-mindedness.

Once again, Hitchens likes to state the painfully obvious as if it is a brilliant deduction on his part.

I believe in the freedom of religion and from religion. A President's religion should not matter, right? But just suppose that President hears Jesus whispering in his ear, telling him to kill the antichrist, kill the non-believers, the infidels, fulfill the biblical prophesies, do God's work, kill those infidel bastards. Launch a first strike before they have a chance to kill us. Praise Jesus.

If a person like Mr. Huckabee tells us that he believes the bible is the word of God, every word true, then we have every right to ask him if he believes in the Book of Revelations and the inevitibility of (nuclear) armegeddon.

Yeah, it should be self-evident, but we have the candidates seemingly, at least by implication, suggesting that challenging their religious beliefs IS establishing a religious test. That certainly seems to be the point that Romney was making, and one mentioned in several hundred posts from angry Mormons here over the past couple of weeks.