In meeting with Obama, black religious leaders offer encouragement

From The Washington Post-

President Obama briefly met Tuesday with about 20 black religious leaders, including representatives of the major African American denominations, in the second White House gathering in three months to discuss the needs of the black community.

While the president has faced growing questions about whether he has done enough to help African Americans deal with the nation's economic downturn, the ministers spent most of the 15 minutes they had with the president in the White House Blue Room offering words of encouragement and urging Obama to offer more summer jobs to young people and select an African American to fill the next Supreme Court vacancy.

When the meeting broke up, the ministers surrounded Obama, placed their hands on his shoulders and prayed.

"We need to pray for the president, pray for his wisdom, pray for his courage and pray for his strength because these are rough times," said John R. Bryant, senior bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. "I am always open and standing in the need for prayer," Bryant recalled Obama replying to a question from another minister about whether prayer was acceptable.

More here-

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/06/AR2010040602685.html?hpid=topnews