Bush Tells Recovering Addicts Of Quitting Drinking

COLFAX, Iowa (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate George W.
Bush (news - web sites) talked Friday about his 1986 decision to quit
drinking, telling men at a Christian treatment center for drug and
alcohol abusers ``just like you, I'm on a walk.''

Speaking to the men in the chapel of the Teen Challenge center in the
Iowa countryside, the Texas governor said, ``I think it's also
important for folks to know that a guy running for president of the
United States -- I'm on a walk. Just like you, I'm on a walk, and it's
a never-ending walk as far as I'm concerned.''

``I used to drink too much and I quit drinking. I believe it's because
Billy Graham planted a seed into my heart one time. Well, Billy, he
was the messenger. I want you to know that your life's walk is shared
by a lot of other people. Even some who wear suits,'' he said.

It marked an unusual campaign-trail discussion by Bush of his decision
to quit drinking, which came in 1986 when he turned 40. He has said he
did not believe he was addicted to alcohol, and that his decision
followed an earlier deepening of his spiritual life after a discussion
with Graham, the evangelist and a family friend.

Bush, campaigning ahead of Monday's party presidential caucuses, came
to the center to highlight his call for the government to encourage
religious, or ``faith-based'' social programs.

The stop also highlighted his spiritual side as he battles publisher
Steve Forbes (news - web sites) and others among his five Republican
opponents for the votes of Iowa's politically active Christian
conservatives.

Bush has called for the elimination of barriers to indirect government
assistance for programs such as Teen Challenge -- which treats men
with drug, alcohol and other ``life-control'' problems. Bush said he
favors giving people vouchers they could use for treatment at a
program of their choice, as long as there were ``no strings'' attached.

Forbes, Bush's main challenger in Iowa, has aggressively courted the
voters of the state's many religious conservatives, who often turn out
in large numbers on caucus night.

Speaking earlier in the center's dining room -- where he sat directly
under the right hand of Jesus depicted on a wall mural -- Bush said,
``government should not frustrate or be worried'' about programs such
as Teen Challenge.

``We should welcome Teen Challenges and the commonplace miracles of
renewal that take place. Now, it's hard to explain to people in a
process-oriented world how hearts can change. This is a hard thing to
describe,'' Bush said.

The language Bush used echoed that of the man he is trying to succeed
- -- President Clinton -- who has spoken frequently about his quest for
redemption following his affair with Monica Lewinsky.

Bush wrangled again with the abortion issue on Friday, after saying
Thursday that the Supreme Court had erred in its 1973 ruling
legalizing abortion, but also saying that if counseling a rape victim,
the decision on whether to have an abortion would be ``up to her.''

Forbes said in response that Bush ``seems at heart to be pro-choice.''
Bush on Friday reiterated that he had a demonstrable record against
abortion as governor, and said the Supreme Court's 1973 decision
legalizing abortion wrongly ''usurped the right of the (state)
legislatures.''

``It should be up to each legislature,'' he said.

Bush again did not say whether he would seek to overturn the
ruling.