GORE DENIES BOOK'S CLAIM OF DAILY POT USE IN '70S

An allegation in a soon-to-be-published book surfaced on the campaign trail
yesterday as Vice President Gore denied that his youthful use of marijuana
was more extensive than he has acknowledged.

The allegation was made by John Warnecke, who worked with Gore on the
Tennessean newspaper in the 1970s and gave his account to Newsweek reporter
Bill Turque for a biography of Gore.

Questioned about the charge by local reporters in Iowa, Gore said the story
was "old news" and denied Warnecke's account that for years they smoked pot
daily. He said he used marijuana "when I came back from Vietnam, yes, but
not to that extent." Gore said in 1987 that his use of marijuana, which
began in college, had been "infrequent and rare."

Pressed further yesterday, Gore said: "When I was young, I did things young
people do; when I grew up I put away childish things." He did not address
his relationship with Warnecke.

The incident is the latest example of how media coverage of an
accusation--in this case by a recovering alcoholic who is being treated for
depression - can intrude on presidential politics. The Warnecke charge
created a ripple in media circles after Newsweek delayed a planned excerpt
of Turque's "Inventing Al Gore: A Biography" in part because of concern
about Warnecke's credibility. Salon.com published an interview Saturday
with Warnecke, whose allegations were discussed on "Fox News Sunday" and in
yesterday's New York Post.

In an interview from his California home yesterday, Warnecke freely
acknowledged that he is taking prescription drugs for severe depression,
that his family has a history of mental illness and that he has voluntarily
been hospitalized for depression a number of times. Now living on
disability, Warnecke said he considers himself an addict and had also used
cocaine but has had no alcohol or drugs for 21 years.

But none of that, said Warnecke, 53, changes the fact that he knew Gore
"very, very well" as a friend and next-door neighbor in Nashville and later
raised money for his campaigns. He says Gore used marijuana until the week
he announced his candidacy for the House in 1976, or about four years later
than the vice president has maintained.

Warnecke said he told a different story in 1987, when Gore was gearing up
to run for president, because Gore repeatedly pressured him to "stonewall"
and "not to tell the truth" about their drug use. He said he felt
"intimidated" by Gore.

"I made up a story that he smoked very little a couple of times and he
didn't like it," Warnecke said. "He smoked a lot and he liked it." Warnecke
said he felt "guilty" about lying and decided to talk to Turque because he
"couldn't stand the pressure any more."

Connolly reported from Davenport, Iowa.