place. >> amen. >> reporter: meet the pitch man. senate chaplain barry black. >> guide our senators. >> this gives me an opportunity to intercede on behalf of the senators and to begin the day with a spiritual emphasis. >> reporter: the politics of the day's fight affects every prayer he writes. >> i'm caught up in that cliffhanger. and i think many times it spills over into my prayer. >> reporter: at the height of the debate over the debt last summer, his prayers were specific and direct. >> as our nation faces the potentially catastrophic -- >> they were at a moment of extreme peril. >> -- inspire our lawmakers. >> i think that that's what i was articulating. >> reporter: this place is best known for being polarizing. not for being inspired by prayer. but chaplain black disagrees. >> i don't think an issue comes up in the chamber that i don't speak to at least a couple of senators about the ethical