BUSH SAW NO SIGN OF DRUGS WITH SON

WASHINGTON - The former president tells a television interviewer that son
George was high-spirited but had no drug problem.

Former President Bush says son George was a ``rambunctious'' youngster who
never gave his parents reason to believe he used drugs and is right not to
answer further questions about the issue.

The elder Bush is not advising George W. Bush's 2000 presidential campaign
- - ``I don't want to always be in the game anymore.'' He also hopes
Americans elect someone who can live up to ``the very high standards'' for
the White House that Bush said President Clinton has failed to meet.

The former president, defeated by Clinton in 1992, discussed varied topics
in a television interview from his family home in Kennebunkport, Maine. A
transcript was released before its broadcast tonight on the Fox News
Channel show ``The Edge with Paula Zahn.''

``All this stuff about George's totally irresponsible past, we never saw
it,'' the ex-president said. ``Barbara and I never saw this. We knew he had
some problems but - that he faced up to, but no different than most kids.''

George W. Bush, the Republican governor of Texas, was ``a rambunctious
little guy'' and his father recalled an episode when the youngster tried to
hit him.

``I just held him at arm's length - he was about 9 - just flailing away at
me,'' Bush said. ``He didn't like some decision I had made, a leadership
decision, I'm sure.''

The younger Bush has acknowledged that at one time he drank heavily and
that he made ``mistakes'' in his youth. No evidence or ncredible allegation
has been made that he ever used cocaine or any other illegal drug.

When pressed, he has said he had not used illegal drugs in the past 25 years.

His father said he is upset how reporters have questioned his son about
rumors of cocaine use. He believes it is right for him not to answer more
questions on the subject.

``I do feel strongly about that, about gotcha politics, about
intrusiveness,'' Bush said. ``And I think I'm very proud that he's with
that position and let the voters decide.''

Bush said he has not asked his son whether he ever used drugs.

``I wouldn't even consider to do that,'' Bush said. ``I think what he's
doing is correct, and he has my full support.''

Barbara Bush said last month she and her husband never asked their eldest
son if he used cocaine. ``We had no need to,'' she said.

Bush said that while offering sympathy, he has tried to avoid giving
political advice to his sons - even shying away from public comments on
some topics lest his opinions cause them trouble. The Bushes' other son,
Jeb, is governor of Florida.

``I had my chance on those issues,'' Bush said. ``I still read up
everything, try to stay up to date, but I don't - I don't want to always be
in the game anymore.''

He did discuss next year's presidential election in general terms, saying:
``I just hope and believe that the American people are going to want to see
standards very high.''

``I just have a great respect for the office itself. And I'm afraid
President Clinton hasn't lived up to very high standards in that regard.''

The former president has been working on a book of his letters, to be
published in October and titled ``All The Best.''