MCCAIN SAYS HE'S TALKED EXTENSIVELY WITH HIS CHILDREN ABOUT DRUGS

CONCORD, N.H. - Republican presidential candidate John McCain
said Wednesday that he had talked extensively with his children about
illegal drugs and joked that he had told his 13-year-old son "I'd beat
him within an inch of his life" if he used them.

More seriously, McCain said, "I'm aware of the temptations young
people are exposed to. I hope my children will not be tempted -- and I
say that with the full knowledge that some very wonderful families and
very loving parents have children who have fallen prey to that."

A day after former first lady Barbara Bush said she had never asked
her son, front-running Republican candidate George W. Bush, whether he
had used cocaine, McCain was asked whether he had talked to his own
children about illegal drugs.

He said drugs were not a problem when he was growing up, but he is
aware of the dangers they cause in today's society and that is why he
chose to talk to his children about them.

Joking with reporters, he said, "I told my 13-year-old son I'd beat
him within an inch of his life" if he used drugs.

McCain, who has seven children, has said that he never used illegal
drugs.

At the wide-ranging news conference, McCain attempted to clarify his
position on abortion.

"I had assumed a 17-year record of pro-life voting -- and that's what
people really care about, voting, not talking -- would have
established my credentials as a pro-life person," he said.

If elected president, he said he would "immediately support efforts to
move in (the) direction" of a constitutional amendment banning
abortion. "The bottom line is I support the pro-life position; I
believe life begins at conception."

At the same time, he said, he worries about deep divisions in American
society over abortion.

"I'm concerned we can't work together to eliminate abortion, because
it's a terrible situation," he said. He advocated decreasing legal
abortions by encouraging adoption, continuing welfare reforms that
discourage out-of-wedlock births and improving foster care.

McCain alarmed antiabortion activists last week when he said he would
not support immediate passage of a constitutional amendment banning
abortions, because women would seek illegal and dangerous operations.
After an outcry, McCain reiterated his general support for an
amendment, but did not put a timeline on it.

An editorial in The Union Leader of Manchester this week accused him
of "trying to cater to both sides on a divisive issue," and a cartoon
showed his tour bus zigzagging across the state from "Pro-Life
Village" to "Pro-Abortion Notch."

The criticisms represent a serious challenge to the Arizona
Republican, who is considering skipping the Iowa caucus and is
focusing much of his attention on New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation
primary.