The New York Times reports that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is planning to take part in a conference call on Democrat filibusters of judicial nominees.

This story would be worth 3 inches of copy on Page A29 except for one detail: The conference call will connect with TV, radio stations and churches. I think everyone can agree that there wouldn't be these troubled bloggers if the conference calls merely included local chapters of the Federalist Society, ACLU or Republican Women.

I must confess that I don't particularly like it when either party politicks in churches -- not because such a thing is offensive to politics, but can be divisive for the churches themselves.

Having said that, is Republicans speaking to one of their major bases of report really all that outrageous? You've got people on the center and left crying "theocracy," yet if Democrats hold some sort of conference call/rally linking the Sundance Channel, Air America Radio and universities across the country there would be nary a peep.

Democrats have only themselves to blame for this move -- regardless of whether Frist participates or not. It was Democrats on the judiciary committee who not-so-subtly suggested a religious test for holding judicial office. -- i.e. "deeply held beliefs" (read: "religious") may be disqualifying. Democrats, of course, deny this -- and their denials may be heartfelt. But their rhetoric, and that of their allies, certainly gives believers plenty of cause for concern.