If you needed proof it’s time for Republican Tea Party (GOTP) Senator Orrin Hatch to retire, look no further than his remarks “warning” supporters that President Obama might attack GOTP presidential “yes I’ll say whatever to be your nominee” hopeful Willard Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith in the general election.

And the President will do this because Romney isn’t already a politically target rich environment when it comes to his continual minute-by-minute flip flopping on every issue from A to Z? Really Senator, that’s the best ya got?

Democratic National Committee Chairwoman, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz is describing that suggestion as “preposterous” and “utter nonsense.”

“Let’s remember that President Obama has had so many things hurled at him – birth certificate questions, whether he is or is not a Christian,” Wasserman Schultz said. “For them to suggest that religion will be injected by President Obama and the Democratic Party, I mean, I think they need to take a look inward at the accusations that their party and their supporters have hurled before they take that step.”

Hatch made the remark in response to a question at a political event being held in – wait for it – northern Utah; but that wasn’t enough for the “senior” senator, he felt he needed to use the line a second time after a debate in Draper, Utah.

“For them to say they aren’t going to smear Mitt Romney is bologna,” Hatch said. “It’s way out of bounds, but that’s what is going to happen.”

First, someone needs to help the Senator understand it’s been his boy – Mitt – who’s been smearing his opponents, including the President, pretty much nonstop for the last couple of months; and second, it’s been the conservatives of the GOTP who’ve been hitting Willard on being a Mormon. It’s a pretty desperate attempt by a senator trying to grab some headlines. More fear mongering and gloom and doom from the party that brought you 9-11, Afghanistan, Iraq and the worse economic decline since the great depression. The GOTP knows one song, gloom, gloom and when that doesn’t work, more gloom.

Hatch’s assertions aren’t sitting particularly well with fellow Latter-day Saints who are Democrats, said Craig Janis, who’s working for Utah Democratic Party to recruit LDS Church members.

“Divisive and unsubstantiated claims about religion have no place in our debate,” Janis said. “This is a country that was founded on the principles of respect and freedom for religion … we hope that, going forward, Senator Hatch will remember that, as a statesman, he is held to a higher standard of conduct, and will choose his words more carefully.”

Unfortunately Senator Hatch was scared out of his wits two years ago when the Tea Party ousted his longtime fellow conservative Bob Bennett, and now he’s playing their tune; let’s see how long it takes for him to also embrace the birther notions as well; it’s time to retire Senator, you’re embarrassing yourself, your family, your state and your fellow Latter-day Saints. There’s no room for this kind of vitriol, and frankly sir I used to think better of you.