BUSH PLANS $2.77 BILLION ANTI-DRUG PROGRAM

Clinton-Gore Criticized For Lacking Urgency In Fighting Narcotics

MARION, Ill. - A combative George W. Bush said yesterday that the
Clinton-Gore administration lacks urgency in its drug-fighting efforts, and
he proposed his own $2.77 billion program. He promised to spell out big
differences with "Big Al" in their second debate.

Though the vice presidential contenders had a relatively amiable debate
Thursday night, that doesn't mean Bush will be any less aggressive
Wednesday than in his first confrontation with Gore, he indicated.

"It takes two to tango," Bush said. "First of all, I'll tell you I'm going
to defend my proposals. I'm not going to let the man define my proposals as
something they're not.

"This business about 1 percent of the rich getting more than we are going
to spend on other programs, I'm not going to let him get away with it. It's
just not true, and I'm going to fiercely defend it."

Bush said he plans to press questions about the vice president's
credibility and his policies.

"I like the debates because it became pretty clear to people that we've got
huge differences" with the Democratic ticket, the Republican governor told
an airport rally.

Late Thursday, he enthusiastically told supporters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa:
"Two more to go, two more to go with Big Al."

At campaign stops in Iowa and southern Illinois, Bush promoted a $2.77
billion package of anti-drug initiatives. "Working together, we can regain
the momentum against drugs," he said.

His proposal includes grants for lagging state treatment programs,
nonprofit organizations and businesses with drug awareness programs. It
would encourage a "Parents Drug Corps" to educate parents in drug
prevention and require drug testing of federal prison inmates and parolees.

"Unfortunately, in the last seven and a half years, fighting drug abuse has
ceased to be a national priority," Bush asserted. "Drug policy has been
pursued without urgency, without energy and without meaningful success."

Several initiatives in Bush's package had been proposed previously.

While he praised White House drug policy advisor Barry McCaffrey for
supporting "important initiatives in a bipartisan fashion," Bush said
Clinton has consistently undermined McCaffrey's efforts. He said one of the
president's first acts in office was to slash the staff of the White House
drug policy adviser's office by 80 percent.

Since then, Bush said, the percentage of high school seniors who smoke
marijuana daily has grown to its highest level in nearly 20 years,
increasing by more than 300 percent since 1992. He added that daily use of
marijuana by eighth-graders increased by 700 percent in that period.

"There is no substitute for presidential leadership," Bush said. "More than
any other person in America, the president can set a tone, deliver a
message, lead a cause. This is a cause I will lead."

Bob Weiner, a spokesman for McCaffrey, criticized Bush's numbers as outdated.

"We have to have accuracy in the statements," he said. "The numbers that
Mr. Bush used are out-of-date numbers."

Government figures show that in the past two years, youth drug use has
dropped 21 percent, and marijuana use has gone down 26 percent, Weiner
said. He said Clinton "streamlined" executive branch staff when he first
took office, including the drug control policy office. But since then,
Clinton and McCaffrey expanded it, he said. "They re-upped the staff to a
level that was competent to do the job. Bush forgot that point."

As for running-mate Dick Cheney's debate performance Thursday night, Bush
said, "Last night America got to see a man who, if need be, could be
president of the United States.

"I hope of course he doesn't need to be," Bush added.

The Texas governor was headed to Florida - his fourth trip to the pivotal
state since the summer conventions - before flying back to Texas.