The Posse in the Pulpit

That doesn't seem to be a worry for Scarborough. Neither does the fact that there are many evangelical churches, even conservative ones, that think the involvement of pastors in the filibuster fight is an inappropriate mixing of church and state. Scarborough is intent on saving the U.S. from "judicial tyranny"--so intent, in fact, that he once ran his massive Dodge pickup off a country road because he was distracted by the e-mails he was checking on his BlackBerry. If he doesn't succeed, he insists, the consequences will be terrible, especially for people of faith. "Where we are headed right now with separation of church and state is that Christians will no longer be eligible to be involved in political debate," he says. Judging by his and other evangelical pastors' roles in the war over the judiciary, the country is in no danger of getting there anytime soon. --Reported by Cathy Booth Thomas/ Nacogdoches, Massimo Calabresi and Viveca Novak/Washington, Sonja Steptoe/ Los Angeles, Tim Padgett/Fort Lauderdale and Andrea Tortora/Cincinnati