epublican presidential nomination front-runner George W. Bush huddled earlier this month in the nation's capital with a select group of religious right leaders during a little-publicized meeting that was mostly off the news radar.

   Bush reportedly met with "about a dozen conservative religious leaders" according to an obscure wire story carried on the Scripps Howard News Service on October 8. This past Wednesday, the Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report picked up the item for its daily dispatch.

   The 90-minute meeting was held to "assuage concerns that he (Bush) might be soft on abortion, homosexual rights, school choice, state-church separation and other issues," the Scripps Howard piece noted. It added that although the Texas governor has been trying to publicly distance himself from the Republican party's extreme right wing, "he has been privately assuring religious conservatives that he is agreeable to their concerns on abortion and social issues."

   The meeting was purportedly organized by Michael Harris of the Home School Legal Defense Association, who said that he "could support" Bush should he be successful in winning the GOP presidential nomination.

   "He's not rising out of the social conservative ranks so he's not going to be 100% harmonious with us," said Farris, "but the question is whether he is reasonably harmonious. The answer is, yeah, we though he was."

   This month's meeting appears to involve many if not all of the same individuals who held a similar gathering in a Washington hotel in February. During that meeting, six prospective presidential candidates thought to be contenders in the GOP primaries were interviewed behind closed doors on a range of issues including aid to religious schools, abortion rights, legalized gambling, gays in the military and religious scenes on government property. Bush declined to participate in that meeting, although the panel heard from Gary Bauer, repeat GOP hopeful Alan Keyes, Rep. John Kasich (R-Ohio) who has since dropped out of the Republican race, Sen. Robert Smith (R-N.H.) who is now an independent, former vice president Dan Quayle (now a drop out) and publisher Steve Forbes.

   Participating at that meeting were Paul Weyrich, Phyllis Schlafly, Randy Tate of Christian Coalition, Morton Blackwell (Leadership Institute) and Mr. Farris.

   Farris told Scripps Howard that at the recent meeting, Bush "spoke of the need to protect human life in terms that were consistent with our values." The governor reportedly declined to institute an abortion "litmus test," though, in selecting judicial nominees.

   Bush maintains a commanding lead in popularity and fund raising over his GOP rivals -- a fact which is painting a stark scenario for many religious conservatives who have labored within the ranks of the Republican Party. Many fear that Bush has "declared war on the conservative movement" according to one Associated Press report with his recent criticism of the GOP's emphasis on social issues. Recently, Bush opined that his fellow Republicans sound pessimistic about the future of the country, focus on economics "to the exclusion of all else" and evince a "disdain for government itself." Contributing to doubts about the Texas governor were earlier statements that he thought the country was not yet ready for a total ban on abortion.

   But within the past month, Bush has reached out to religious right groups. He addressed the recent Christian Coalition "Road to Victory" Conference and received a warm reception from the 3,500-member audience. He also addressed the Home School Legal Defense Association; Michael Farris later told reporters that "George W. Bush is more like Ronald Reagan than his father."

   Behind the scenes, Bush also has the support of Christian Coalition founder and president Pat Robertson, who makes no secret of who he is boosting for the GOP presidential bid. Robertson has refused to support close associate Gary Bauer, and he has distanced himself from Pat Buchanan who is ready to take his campaign organization into the ranks of the Reform Party.

   "For his own good, he (Bush) would be well advised to avoid statements which tend to alienate the core conservatives of the Republican Party, which will either drive them into the arms of Pat Buchanan, to support other candidates or cause them to stay home on Election Day," cautioned Robertson.

   On Tuesday, Robertson organized and hosted a $500-a-plate fund raising luncheon for Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore's political action committee. 250 people turned out to hear Bush address the meeting, and say that he needs to win the Nov. 2, 2000 election and "send a clear message to the rest of America that our philosophy is working." If anything, this underscores the close, working relationship between Bush, Robertson and key GOP officials such as Gilmore; in April, Gilmore became the 15th GOP governor to endorse Bush for president.

   Bush has already amassed $56 million for his presidential bid, and stands to pick more support because of the promised "coat tails" effect of bringing in votes, and money, for candidates in state and local races. The Virginia meeting was to raise funds for the New Majority PAC which is working to get a Republican majority in the Virginia legislature.

   And Robertson seems determined to make his Christian Coalition a key player in next year's nominating convention and presidential race, even if means jettisoning religious right favorites like Bauer, Buchanan and even Steve Forbes. The group recently announced that it has whittled its internal debt from $3.5 million to a "respectable" $2 million, and is proceeding with plans to distribute 65 million voters guides and other items in the year 2000 race. Robertson served in Gilmore's official advisory and transition committee after he was elected governor last year. The Christian Coalition head may have a similar role if George W. Bush takes the White House in next year's presidential race.

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