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A Supreme blessing

Supreme Court justice nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor should feel blessed when she enters Committee Room 216 for her Senate confirmation hearing next month. Literally.

The Rev. Rob Schenck, president of Faith and Action, has blessed it with special oils in preparations for her big day.

“A firm foundation of prayer has been laid for this confirmation process. Wednesday morning, June 3, about 8:00, I went to the U.S. Senate Hart Building, across the street from our ministry center, where the last two Supreme Court nomination hearings took place,” Mr. Schenck wrote in a newsletter to his supporters.

“Once there, I proceeded to Committee Room 216, the very same chamber where we have held numerous prayer and worship services over the years. This will most likely be the venue for the Senate hearing. I went to the hearing room doors, and, following biblical and long-held Christian traditions, anointed them with oil as a symbol of consecration, or a setting apart for God’s purpose. In respect for Judge Sotomayor’s strong Catholic background, I used oil specially formulated for this purpose. It was also blessed by a Catholic priest at the St. Francis Monastery here in Washington, D.C.,” he said.

He even included a Web video in the newsletter e-mailed Wednesday showing himself conducting the blessing.

“We’re going to pray that truth prevails in this room,” Mr. Schenck said at the door of the committee room.

Faith and Action is a District-based Christian group that opposes abortion and supports the traditional definition of marriage as between a man and a woman, although close observers do not view it as an overtly political group.

“While their positions would be considered conservative, it’s important to note that as I have observed them throughout the years, their actions never seem partisan,” wrote Christian Broadcasting Network’s David Brody in an item about the blessing for his blog. “It is always about glorifying God in the process and bringing attention to His word.”

Palin punch lines

Two major CBS personalities have been having their fun at the expense of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate.

“The Late Show” host David Letterman made her the subject of his “Top 10” list on Monday evening, naming some “highlights” of her recent trip to New York.

Some of them included “laughing at crazy-looking foreigners entering the U.N,” and meeting “one of those Jewish people Mel Gibson’s always talking about.” But the No. 2 item on his list was the most cringeworthy of them all. “Number two,” Mr. Letterman panned, “bought makeup from Bloomingdale’s to update her ‘[loose] flight attendant’ look.”

The audience laughed and groaned.

Later in the show, Mr. Letterman joked about Mrs. Palin’s 14-year old daughter, Willow, being impregnated at a Yankee’s game.

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