US First Lady Laura Bush has spoken out for the first time in defence of her daughters since they were busted for under-age drinking at a Texas restaurant two weeks ago. Before leaving for their tour of Europe, Laura and President George W Bush sat down with the girls at their Texas ranch for a serious talk.
To the dismay of the White House, 19-year-old Jenna and Barbara’s exploits had landed them on the cover of People magazine under the headline “Oops! They Did It Again”. “It’s unfortunate that these young women are being denied a private life,” said the First Lady’s press secretary.
But despite the unwanted attention – the girls once asked their dad not to seek the presidency fearing just such an unforgiving spotlight – Laura insists all is well. “They’re doing great,” says the First Lady. “They’re great girls. They’re really terrific girls.”
Admitting that she thought media coverage of the under-age drinking incident had been overdone, Laura refused to reveal details of the family summit during her interview on CBS News, merely saying; “I think every parent of a teenager understands exactly what George and I think right now. That’s just something that’s between us and them, and I think people in America understand that.”
Laura even praised politics as a unifying force for the first family. “I think politics give families a chance to be together. I think the closest George and I ever are is during the middle of a political race because we know we can count on each other, and we find a lot of refuge in our relationship with each other.”
Two weeks before the latest incident, Jenna pleaded no contest to a charge of “minor in possession of alcohol” after she was caught drinking at a popular public bar, and was forced to pay a $51-dollar fine and attend alcohol awareness classes. In early June, Jenna pleaded not guilty to the new charges and goes on trail on July 31; her sister Barbara, in her first offence, pleaded no contest.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
