How will President Obama mark the National Day of Prayer?
Decrease font Decrease font Enlarge font Enlarge font (CNN) — For the past eight years, the White House recognized the National Day of Prayer with a service in the East Room, but this year, President Obama decided against holding a public ceremony. President Bush marked the National Day of Prayer with a service at the White House. President Bush marked the National Day of Prayer with a service at the White House. “Prayer is something that the president does everyday,” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday, noting that Obama will sign a proclamation to recognize the day, as many administrations in the past have done. Asked if Obama thought his predecessor’s ceremonies were politicized, Gibbs said, “No, I’m not going to get into that again. “I think the president understands, in his own life and in his family’s life, the role that prayer plays.” The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance for people of all faiths. Under the Bush administration, the White House hos
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs defended the Obama administration’s plan to recognize the National Day of Prayer on Thursday with a paper proclamation, rather than a public event at the White House. “We’re doing a proclamation, which I know that many administrations in the past have done,” Gibbs told reporters Tuesday. But that is a major change from the way the day was recognized during eight years of the Bush administration, when prominent evangelical and other spiritual leaders were invited to attend an event in the East Room. “Prayer is something that the president does every day,” Gibbs said. “Privately, he’ll pray as he does every day.” Sources: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct2=us%2F0_0
