COLUMBA BUSH HELPS FLORIDA BY TAKING ON SOCIAL ISSUES

Marianne Means' column of Jan. 21 ["Presidency: Jeb Bush May Just Bide
Time"] took an unnecessary and inaccurate snipe at Florida First Lady
Columba Bush. Calling her a "reclusive Mexican native." Ms. Means went
on to cite "gossip" as a source for her information as she painted a
distorted picture.

It has been my good fortune these past six years to work closely with
Mrs. Bush on matters of substance abuse, suicide prevention, mental
health, domestic violence, volunteerism, mentoring, the arts, and
other matters she lends her voice and energy to.

She travels endlessly throughout the state and country to support
these and other causes (often in small planes and in bad weather),
leads a number of national efforts (madrina [godmother] to America's
young Latina girls, co-chair of the Governors' Spouses Leadership
Forum, advisor to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration, and not-for-profit board positions), and opens her
home to a myriad of causes, events and occasions (she hosted 12
receptions this past December alone).

Children are drawn to her, adults are moved by her and leaders in
various fields lean on her for her strength. A shy person by nature,
she stands out for her willingness to lead, to place herself in the
public eye, and withstand the mindless statements of others with a
kindness and gentleness that overcomes the invectiveness of uninformed
critics (such as her own).

What I see is a remarkable first lady who puts Florida's interests
before her own, supports her husband and her family through trying
times, and touches the lives of tens of thousands with her compassion
and gentle elegance.

Marianne Means seemed to have left that out of her picture.

Jim McDonough,

Director Governor's Office of Drug Control Tallahassee