Bush secretly recorded by old friend before he was president

[johncoby2]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory/3048066

The houston chronicle:



NEW YORK -- Private conversations with George Bush secretly taped by an old friend before he was elected president foreshadow some of his political strategies and appear to reveal that he acknowledged using marijuana, The New York Times reported today.

[Wilms]

1. Doug "Wead"!

So, former-aide to former pres. GHWBush is named Doug Wead, and he has a tape of GWB saying he "dug weed".

That's cool!


This, actually, stunned me...

-snip-

On one tape, Bush explains that he told one prominent evangelical that he would not "kick gays, because I'm a sinner. How can I differentiate sin?"

-snip-

So now I know he has a conscience, that he rarely engages.

[UTUSN]

2. Here's the NYT Link, with Starker Quotes

*******QUOTE*******

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/20/politics/20talk.html?hp&ex=1108875600&en=2791e4de2fc239a9&ei=5094&partner=homepage

....

Preparing to meet Christian leaders in September 1998, Mr. Bush told Mr. Wead: "As you said, there are some code words. There are some proper ways to say things, and some improper ways." He added, "I am going to say that I've accepted Christ into my life. And that's a true statement." ....

Mr. Bush, who has acknowledged a drinking problem years ago, told Mr. Wead on the tapes that he could withstand scrutiny of his past. He said it involved nothing more than "just, you know, wild behavior." He worried, though, that allegations of cocaine use would surface in the campaign, and he blamed his opponents for stirring rumors. "If nobody shows up, there's no story," he told Mr. Wead, "and if somebody shows up, it is going to be made up." But when Mr. Wead said that Mr. Bush had in the past publicly denied using cocaine, Mr. Bush replied, "I haven't denied anything." ....

Mr. Bush threatened that if his rival Steve Forbes attacked him too hard during the campaign and won, both Mr. Bush, then the Texas governor, and his brother, Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida, would withhold their support. "He can forget Texas. And he can forget Florida. And I will sit on my hands," Mr. Bush said.

********UNQUOTE*******

[booksenkatz]

3. Hey, he acts as if... as if...

as if governors can determine with total finality which candidate wins their states.
:think: