Breitbart News senior editor-at-large Joel B. Pollak told former Gov. Mike Huckabee this weekend that White House press briefings should begin with a short invocation and a moment for quiet reflection.
Pollak was appearing on The Huckabee Show on TBN just days after Huckabee was announced as President-elect Trump’s nominee for U.S. Ambassador to Israel.
The two discussed Trump’s opportunities for peace in the Middle East, as well as Pollak’s new book, The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days, which is drawing new attention in the days since Trump’s victory.
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Huckabee asked Pollak about some of the “marquee items” in The Agenda.
Among other ideas, Pollak described his suggestion for a prayer to begin White House press briefings, which are the most widely-watched public meetings in the world, but — unlike other meetings — do not begin with an invocation.
In an article in 2021, Pollak even suggested a text for the prayer:
O Lord, our God:
We pray:
Bless the President and First Lady of the United States;
Bless the men and women of the armed forces;
Bless the members of the press corps;
and their families.
Guide our deliberations today in a spirit of unity, that we may, together, inform the citizens of this Republic.
We thank you for the life You give us every day, and for the liberty You have bestowed upon each of us.
And we say: Amen.
We will now observe a moment of reflection, which you may use as you wish.
(pause)
Thank you.
Pollak explained the idea to Huckabee:
Pollak said:
The president should lead the way in restoring faith in this country, religious faith … I believe that the president can put the ‘pulpit’ back in the ‘bully pulpit.”
I have long argued that, for example, the press secretary can begin briefings with a brief invocation and a moment of silence. There’s nothing in the Constitution to prevent that, it would change the tone [Applause], and I think it would also set an example, because I do believe that within the First Amendment, within the Constitution, we can still introduce that moment of reflection … to allow children and adults to bring God back into the school day, the working day … It’s missing from our lives, we feel its absence… and I think it can help us re-center our nation, and we can come together.
It would certainly change the atmosphere in that briefing room, between the journalists and the press secretary. They’re going to go at each other, but maybe if they understand we’re all engaged in the same venture here, I think it could really make a different.
“That’s a great idea. I’ve never heard anyone suggest it,” Huckabee responded, adding that he hoped the future press secretary would adopt the practice.
