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Lothar121

Laura Bush Visits St. Louis For Fundraiser, Youth
Jeff Douglas | Kansas City Star | 04/04/06

ST. LOUIS - First lady Laura Bush said the most important issue facing America is defending itself.

Mrs. Bush visited St. Louis Tuesday to raise money for Republican Sen. Jim Talent's re-election campaign, while promoting her Helping America's Youth Initiative.

"At this historic time in our country, no issue is more important than defending America," Mrs. Bush told about 400 Talent supporters at a downtown hotel that stands near the St. Louis Arch.

"Thanks to the men and women of the United States military, America is winning the war on terror," she said. Mrs. Bush praised the Missouri Sen. for his work on the Senate Armed Services Committee. She also sent her sympathy to those hit by tornados that struck Missouri on Sunday.

Mrs. Bush said Talent "understands the sacrifices made by our armed services personnel, and he understands the importance of their mission."

The incumbent senator faces Democratic State Auditor Claire McCaskill in November. Talent was in Washington Tuesday, chairing a defense subcommittee meeting, and could not attend the fundraiser.

In his place was his wife, Brenda, along with President Bush's uncle, William "Bucky" Bush, and Gov. Matt Blunt's wife, Melanie.

A spokesman for Talent said the fundraiser was expected to bring in about $200,000.

In her 10 minute speech, Mrs. Bush called Talent a leader in the government's search for alternative energy sources, saying he helped develop a bio-fuels caucus in the Senate.

The first lady also addressed the President's Helping America's Youth Initiative. In the past year Mrs. Bush has visited multiple cities and toured youth programs that keep adolescents away from drugs and gangs.

Earlier Tuesday, Mrs. Bush visited a rehab center in the St. Louis suburb of St. Charles, where she met privately with teens recovering from substance abuse.

During the private meeting at the center, five recovering teens spoke openly about their addiction and recovery from methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine and alcohol. The 24-bed Preferred Family Healthcare rehab center treats about 300 young people each year.

"We can't let children suffer with drug abuse and substance abuse because they can't afford help," Mrs. Bush said. She praised an Albuquerque, N.M., program that teaches alcohol prevention in the second grade.

One young man in the meeting, identified only as Matt, 16, questioned if second-graders would remember what they learned about drinking alcohol as they got older.

"Recovery is a very selfish thing - you have to be out for yourself," Matt said. The teen said he began smoking cigarettes at age 9 and is recovering from an addiction to marijuana and alcohol. He was ordered to treatment by the courts and said he has been clean for more than three months.

Mrs. Bush asked the teens for advice on what adults can do to keep children away from drugs and alcohol. Matt's response: "Don't let your kids grow up too fast."

Conferences will be held around the country to examine ways to help youth, with the first one this summer in Indiana, Mrs. Bush said.

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vladimir

st. louis is in missouri, as is the kanas city star.

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If a drug (or technique or process) were ever to be discovered which would consistently produce a plus four experience in all human beings, it is conceivable that it would signal the ultimate evolution, and perhaps the end of, the human experiment.

OccultPizza

In her 10 minute speech, Mrs. Bush called Talent a leader in the government's search for alternative energy sources, saying he helped develop a bio-fuels caucus in the Senate.

Hmmm last time I heard that it was from Enron ~chuckles~.

Toking Jedi

Why do articles like these always have to mention marijuana in the same sentence as drugs like meth and cocaine? They always make it seem like it's a marijuana addiction these kids are recovering from. Chances are, they were using marijuana in addition to having addictions to meth, alcohol, and cocaine. Sure, you can use marijuana too much, but it's much harder to get addicted to weed than booze, coke, or even methamphetamines.

Why would informing these kids about drugs in the second grade do anything? I wouldn't mind if they taught these kids about drugs and alcohol in, say, 5th grade, but 2nd grade's much too young. I was still giggling at dirty jokes when I was in second grade. That and I was 3 feet tall. I remember watching a TV show, and the mom of one of the characters was an alcoholic. The adults tried to explain to the little girl that, "um, Mommy has a drinking problem; once she starts, she just can't stop!" and I remember imagining the woman drinking Orange Juice. Chances are these kids don't even know what beer is, unless their parents are already alcoholics.

First, why does she need to ask them? Doesn't she have any good ideas? She's probably the brains of the Helping America's Youth Initiative, so she should be coming up with the ideas, not badgering addicts about their troubles. And second, "Matt" is right. Teaching 2nd graders about drugs ruins their innocence and makes them grow up too fast. Let them have their fun, but just keep an eye out for the ones that talk to you innocently about their alcoholic parents.

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Buzzby

ST. LOUIS - First lady Laura Bush said the most important issue facing America is defending itself from her husband.

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Lothar121

Corrected.

Buzzby

I'm on jury duty this week, so I didn't do my usual morning proofreading of the days news articles. Thanks, vladimir.