I don't think so. I "know" him from many contacts relating to the lynching of Zimmerman by the press, and IIRC, a couple other issues or incidents. He struck me as well informed and reasonable. Not always correct (none of us is), but operated from multiple pieces of input data.
In this case, my barely informed impression is that he was taken as a "devil's advocate", biased against the shooter.
So, put me on the list of people who are sad he is gone.
Uncle Chip apparently didn't practice discretion in his participation.
It also helps to not tell Jim Robinson that he is wrong when replying to him.