Mitt Romney will be campaigning for John McCain in Reno and Albuquerque. But he doesn't plan a side trip to Utah, which he used like an ATM to extract $5.5 million during his doomed presidential run.

It's probably for the best, considering a Texas minister told a national gathering of religion writers that Romney belongs to a "cult."

The Rev. Robert Jeffress, who is hot stuff in Dallas, explained:

I believe we should always support a Christian over a non-Christian. The value of electing a Christian goes beyond public policies. . . . Christians are uniquely favored by God, [while] Mormons, Hindus and Muslims worship a false god. The eternal consequences outweigh political ones. It is worse to legitimize a faith that would lead people to a separation from God.”

Look on the bright side, Thomas S., Jeffress puts the LDS church in the company of some serious players. In addition to Hindus and Muslims, the Texas God boy thinks just about every relgion, except his version of Southern Baptist, is a cult — including Catholics and Buddhists.

Religion Newswriters Association president Kevin Eckstrom said Jeffress' cult commentary didn't find a lot of support among journalists, but represents a common view within evangelical groups (or are they cults?) :

A lot of people were uncomfortable with what Dr. Jeffress said about Mormons, but what we were hoping for was something provocative that would get people talking, and certainly this did it.