WHITE HOUSE REACTS TO ALCOHOL CITATION

Family Seeks Privacy In Bush Daughters' Case

WASHINGTON -- As police in Austin cited President Bush's 19-year-old twin
daughters Thursday for underage drinking, the White House implored
reporters not to tread too far into the family's privacy.

The daughters, Barbara and Jenna Bush, received misdemeanor citations.
Police charged Barbara with underage possession of alcohol and Jenna Bush
with trying to buy alcohol using identification that did not belong to her.
The incident occurred Tuesday at a Mexican restaurant and bar.

Jenna, a student at the University of Texas at Austin, had pleaded no
contest to a citation for underage drinking two weeks ago. Both women just
finished their freshman year. Barbara attends Yale.

The Houston Chronicle reported that the ticket could mark Jenna's third
alcohol-related incident. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission confirmed
that Jenna is listed in its database for an alcohol-related violation on
Dec. 31, 1997, when she was 16. The database contains the names of people
who violated the Alcoholic Beverage Commission code. Commission officials
would not say whether Jenna was cited, warned or punished by administrative
action. No other details were released.

The White House and the press corps struggled Thursday to define what was
appropriate for public examination.

``I understand that there's a question of law,'' said White House press
secretary Ari Fleischer, meaning that a possible law-breaking incident was
fair game for reporting. But, Fleischer insisted, it did not provide
justification to delve into the family's private conversations or emotions.

``I would urge you to be very careful because any reaction of the parents
is parental,'' he said. ``It is not governmental. It's private, and the
American people respect that.''

President Bush has frequently discussed his heavy drinking until he quit at
age 40. A week and a half ago, Bush joked about his drinking during a
speech at Yale.

Marc Connolly, a Secret Service official, declined to answer questions
about whether the agents assigned to Barbara and Jenna should have
intervened. But one agent told the Mercury News Washington Bureau that it
isn't agents' job to prevent minor indiscretions.

``We're not their parents, and we're not the morality police,'' the agent
said. ``Our job is to make sure there is a safe and secure environment.''

According to police, Barbara Bush was served a margarita at Chuy's
restaurant. Patrons identified Jenna Bush and told the management she was
19 years old, said police. A friend, also a woman, was also cited for
underage drinking.

The charges carry a possible penalty of a fine of up to $500, attendance at
an alcohol course, community service and the suspension of a driver's
license. Prosecutors could try to revoke Jenna's probation in the earlier case.

The Dallas Morning News contributed to this report.