That may be a fair analogy. Like someone calling himself "African American" because of the color of his skin despite having no relationship to Africa (or even having visited Africa).
There is no such thing as a "Deist" who is a "Christian"... but there are Deists who feel an association with many of what they feel Christ's "teaching" were... so, among Deists, they associate with Christ.
This does not make them in any way "Christian" any more than wanting to associate oneself with "Africa" makes one "African".
By what authority do you define a Christian?
I would agree he certainly is not "orthodox" Christian. However, he does follow the teaching of the man we call Jesus Christ...instead of the doctrines of the Constantinian (or Nicene) Christian Church.