For November, Let Us Pray For You-Know-Who

By Nathan Thornburgh

The radio ad's announcer reads a list of famous Americans who gave their lives to Christ--from founding father John Jay to former Harlem Globetrotter Meadowlark Lemon--as fifes trill and drums roll in the background. "You too can be an American inspiration," the narrator concludes, "by joining the Presidential Prayer Team!"

The ad, running on 1,165 radio stations around the country, doesn't mention President Bush. But it comes from a group that could play a major role in rallying the President's Christian conservative base to vote in this year's election. Founded in the wake of 9/11 with backing from Arizona Diamondbacks owner Jerry Colangelo, among others, the Presidential Prayer Team draws inspiration from the biblical injunction to "pray for Kings, and all those that are in authority." Its website, PresidentialPrayerTeam org claims to have 3 million Americans on bended knee for the President who famously named Jesus as his favorite philosopher. The nonprofit group doesn't support candidates and thus isn't subject to campaign-spending limits. But it is about to launch Pray the Vote, a national initiative that will feature half-hour radio ads, Dean-style meet-ups (called prayer parties) and a nationwide prayer rally on the eve of the election.

"We're really just calling for God's will to be done in this election," says spokeswoman Meagan Gillan. "We want people to vote their values." With an annual budget of $1.5 million, the Prayer Team says it will continue past November, even if God's plan includes a President John Kerry. "If that's the case," says Gillan, "we'll just have to pray even harder."

--By Nathan Thornburgh