In a last ditch effort....

....to prevent prayer at the inauguration, Michael Newdow has appealed to the Supreme Court and asked that Chief Justice Rehnquist recuse himself.

Newdow also asked that Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, who is designated as the justice to hear emergency appeals for the D.C. Circuit, recuse himself because he is scheduled to swear in Bush and thus has a conflict of interest.

Rehnquist previously has sworn in four presidents since becoming chief justice in 1986.

"He has become a fixture in a governmental ceremony that has become infused with sectarian Christian religion and not once — as far as can be determined — has he made the slightest attempt to end that ... violation," Newdow wrote.

If Rehnquist does remove himself, the case will go to the next senior justice, John Paul Stevens, who has the option to refer the appeal to the full court for consideration.

Persistent is he. Wise is he not.

This lawsuit makes Newdow look silly. I wonder if he realizes it?