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Obama's Toned-Down Take on Day of Prayer Irks Some
By Harry Kimball
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Posted May 7, 09 12:35 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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President Obama has opted to observe today’s National Day of Prayer in private, a sharp turn from his predecessor’s policies that angers at least one organization, the Boston Globe reports. President Bush held public celebrations at the White House. “We are disappointed in the lack of participation by the Obama administration,” said Shirley Dobson of the National Day of Prayer Task Force.
“At this time in our country’s history,” Dobson continued, “we would hope our president would recognize more fully the importance of prayer.” But another group that thinks the Task Force intends for the day to be a purely Christian affair is fine with restraint. “President Obama is not the pastor-in-chief of the nation,” the Interfaith Alliance said. The “Task Force seems to think it owns the National Day of Prayer.”