'Humble Sinner' Bush Testifies to Power of Faith
Mon Apr 29,10:59 PM ET
By Patricia Wilson
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Declaring "I am just a humble sinner," President Bush (news - web sites) on Monday drew on his personal experience with alcohol abuse to illustrate how faith can help turn lives around.
In the South Central Los Angeles neighborhood ravaged by race riots a decade ago, Bush called on Congress to act on his controversial plan to allow religious groups to share in the federal funds available to deliver social services to the less fortunate, from the homeless to unwed mothers.
"Now, I don't want government to be the church and I don't want the church to be the government, but the government should not fear faith and faith-based programs," he said to murmured affirmations of "Amen" and "Yes."
Bush, who found God and gave up alcohol 15 years ago on his 40th birthday, is one of the most overtly religious presidents of recent times. He opens cabinet meetings with a prayer and often prays in the Oval office.
"Faith is a powerful motivator. ... I know first-hand what faith can mean in somebody's life, so I remind people I am just a humble sinner who saw redemption," he said. Stopping himself, Bush added: "I don't want to get too far."
Speaking at a church-sponsored redevelopment program to a mostly African-American audience, Bush said the universal call to love was something "to be nourished, not feared."
"When we fund programs we ought not to discriminate against faith-based programs or cause the faith-based program to have to change its mission in order to receive any money."
"ARMIES OF COMPASSION"
Sounding at times like a preacher, Bush called for soldiers to join "the armies of compassion" because "as Martin Luther King said, God isn't gonna do it all by himself."
Hours later, Bush joined forces with some of California's wealthiest Republicans for the first of two events expected to raise almost $4 million for gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon, who is trying to unseat Democratic incumbent Gray Davis.
As the glittering crowd arrived at a Los Angeles hotel in a parade of Ferraris, Aston Martins and Rolls Royces, about four dozen protesters demonstrated against Bush's Middle East policies, chanting "Long Live Palestine" and carrying signs that read "American Blood for Bush's Oil."
Comparing Simon's run to his own 1994 race for governor of Texas, Bush called the political novice "a breath of fresh air" and predicted California's voters would elect a man with "a positive vision." A Field poll released on Sunday showed Simon trailing Davis by 14 points.
With key state governorships and control of Congress at stake in November, Bush resumed his heavy fund-raising schedule, bringing to more than 20 the number of appearances he has made on behalf of Republican candidates since ending a four-month, post-Sept. 11 hiatus on politicking.
In New Mexico earlier on Monday, he headlined a $500,000 lunch for Rep. Heather Wilson. On Tuesday in Santa Clara, California, Bush will attend another fund-raiser for Simon, a man the White House quietly opposed in the Republican primary but embraced after his surprise victory over the preferred candidate, former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan.
HIGH STAKES
The congressional stakes are high in the fall. Republicans control the House by just six seats and Democrats feel they have a chance to wrest the chamber away from them. Meanwhile, Republicans hope to regain the Senate, where Democrats hold 50 seats, Republicans 49 and one is independent.
Before flying to California, Bush broke with Republican leaders in the House and urged Congress to confront the stigma of mental illness by forcing health insurers to treat psychiatric and physical disease equally.
"Mental disability is not a scandal," Bush said at the University of New Mexico. "They deserve a health-care system that treats their illness with the same urgency as a physical illness."
Bush promised to work with Republican Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico, who was at his side. Domenici, whose daughter suffers from mental illness, has long championed federally enforced parity guaranteeing insurance for mental disorders as comprehensive as that offered for other illnesses.
The legislation faces key opposition from Republican leaders in the House, as well as business groups, who fear it would significantly increase the cost of health insurance. Some studies have estimated, however, that premiums would rise as little as 0.9 percent if it was enacted.
Mon Apr 29,10:59 PM ET
By Patricia Wilson
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Declaring "I am just a humble sinner," President Bush (news - web sites) on Monday drew on his personal experience with alcohol abuse to illustrate how faith can help turn lives around.
In the South Central Los Angeles neighborhood ravaged by race riots a decade ago, Bush called on Congress to act on his controversial plan to allow religious groups to share in the federal funds available to deliver social services to the less fortunate, from the homeless to unwed mothers.
"Now, I don't want government to be the church and I don't want the church to be the government, but the government should not fear faith and faith-based programs," he said to murmured affirmations of "Amen" and "Yes."
Bush, who found God and gave up alcohol 15 years ago on his 40th birthday, is one of the most overtly religious presidents of recent times. He opens cabinet meetings with a prayer and often prays in the Oval office.
"Faith is a powerful motivator. ... I know first-hand what faith can mean in somebody's life, so I remind people I am just a humble sinner who saw redemption," he said. Stopping himself, Bush added: "I don't want to get too far."
Speaking at a church-sponsored redevelopment program to a mostly African-American audience, Bush said the universal call to love was something "to be nourished, not feared."
"When we fund programs we ought not to discriminate against faith-based programs or cause the faith-based program to have to change its mission in order to receive any money."
"ARMIES OF COMPASSION"
Sounding at times like a preacher, Bush called for soldiers to join "the armies of compassion" because "as Martin Luther King said, God isn't gonna do it all by himself."
Hours later, Bush joined forces with some of California's wealthiest Republicans for the first of two events expected to raise almost $4 million for gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon, who is trying to unseat Democratic incumbent Gray Davis.
As the glittering crowd arrived at a Los Angeles hotel in a parade of Ferraris, Aston Martins and Rolls Royces, about four dozen protesters demonstrated against Bush's Middle East policies, chanting "Long Live Palestine" and carrying signs that read "American Blood for Bush's Oil."
Comparing Simon's run to his own 1994 race for governor of Texas, Bush called the political novice "a breath of fresh air" and predicted California's voters would elect a man with "a positive vision." A Field poll released on Sunday showed Simon trailing Davis by 14 points.
With key state governorships and control of Congress at stake in November, Bush resumed his heavy fund-raising schedule, bringing to more than 20 the number of appearances he has made on behalf of Republican candidates since ending a four-month, post-Sept. 11 hiatus on politicking.
In New Mexico earlier on Monday, he headlined a $500,000 lunch for Rep. Heather Wilson. On Tuesday in Santa Clara, California, Bush will attend another fund-raiser for Simon, a man the White House quietly opposed in the Republican primary but embraced after his surprise victory over the preferred candidate, former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan.
HIGH STAKES
The congressional stakes are high in the fall. Republicans control the House by just six seats and Democrats feel they have a chance to wrest the chamber away from them. Meanwhile, Republicans hope to regain the Senate, where Democrats hold 50 seats, Republicans 49 and one is independent.
Before flying to California, Bush broke with Republican leaders in the House and urged Congress to confront the stigma of mental illness by forcing health insurers to treat psychiatric and physical disease equally.
"Mental disability is not a scandal," Bush said at the University of New Mexico. "They deserve a health-care system that treats their illness with the same urgency as a physical illness."
Bush promised to work with Republican Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico, who was at his side. Domenici, whose daughter suffers from mental illness, has long championed federally enforced parity guaranteeing insurance for mental disorders as comprehensive as that offered for other illnesses.
The legislation faces key opposition from Republican leaders in the House, as well as business groups, who fear it would significantly increase the cost of health insurance. Some studies have estimated, however, that premiums would rise as little as 0.9 percent if it was enacted.
