Poppy the Moonie

This is by far not the first time we have heard this or something even worse. I wonder, has Poppy gone off his rails or what?


Let me state at the beginning that I am agnostic as to whether former President Bush drank the Rev. Sun Myung Moon's "holy wine."

But history is filled with religious stories that, even if not true, deliver lessons.

Lesson later. Story now.

The Rev. Michael Jenkins, president of Moon's Unification Church in the United States, says Bush did drink the wine.

Bush's spokesmen neither confirm nor deny the story. One told John Gorenfeld, author of the recent book Bad Moon Rising, that he would not dignify the question by answering it. Another, Jim McGrath, didn't deny it to me, but he did point out an apparent error in Jenkins' account.

Drama at College Station

That entertaining account can be found at www.youtube.com. Search for "George Bush AND holy wine."

In the video, Jenkins begins by mentioning that Bush, despite objections by his advisers, praised Moon last year at a Washington gala for the Washington Times, the conservative newspaper founded, subsidized and owned by Moon.

Jenkins says the praise was quoted in the Times. It wasn't.

Then Jenkins moves into the more interesting part. He recounts with the cadence and hand gestures of a veteran preacher a meeting at the Bush Library at College Station between Bush and members of a Moonie group called the Women's Federation for World Peace and high-ranking members of other Moon organizations.

A command from 'Father'

"I said, 'Mr. President these women from Women's Federation that you love have a special presentation for you.' He said, 'What's this?'

"And they brought two cups of holy wine, and he took the two cups, and he shook them like this and went, 'This is cute. What's this?'

"And I said, 'It's a blessing for your family Mr. President. We're ending divorce in America.'

"He goes, 'Divorce? Barbara and I aren't gonna get divorced at this age.'

" 'No, Mr. President, your family is a model, to be a blessed family for America.' "

Jenkins describes removing the lids from the wine and seeing the look on the face of Chung Hwan Kwak, head of a Moon group called the Universal Peace Federation.

Kwak looked frightened because, said Jenkins, "It was dangerous."

He said late the night before Moon, whom Moonies call "Father," had called and ordered him and a colleague to give Bush the wine, despite being told that the Secret Service wouldn't allow it.

"So I brought a big bag of holy wine, no plan," Jenkins says. One of the women had "a giant purse." After being carried by the woman into the meeting, it is apparently transferred to smaller vials and offered to Bush.

"This is like the moment of judgment," recounts Jenkins. "You could, like, you can't say anything now. If you say something you're probably going to tip it the wrong way, so it just became silent. He's looking at it."

Finally Bush says, "Oh, this looks like Communion. OK, so you want me to drink this?"

"Yes!" Jenkins shouts, throwing his head back and making a gulping sound. What he says next draws applause from the audience: "He drank it right down! Then he just goes, 'Whoa! Whoa!' "

Jenkins described Bush as taking two women by their hands and saying, "Oh man, that blessing is so nice. This is wonderful what you're doing."

"I know," Jenkins said. "I saw it with my own eyes."

He returns again to Bush praising "Father" on the front page of the Washington Times and concludes to heavy applause: "It was beautiful. Times have changed, my brothers and sisters. We have come of age. We have the power. We are the chosen people!"

So what if Bush did drink the wine?

If he did, says Gorenfeld, for church members it means the former president is now a spiritual subject of the "Father."

Bush spokesman McGrath sees it differently.

"Even if he did as the minister says on the video it doesn't change that the relationship is with the Washington Times and its foundation," he said.

Bush, he said, is very appreciative of the Times for bringing a conservative voice to Washington. When Bush has met with Moon or his groups in places like Washington, Japan, Argentina or Uruguay (not Paraguay as I wrote last week), it was to honor that, not to endorse other Moon activities.

"We make a significant distinction between the Washington Times and the other groups," he said.

Which brings us to the lesson of this religious tale: When you lie down with Messiahs, you wake up as their miracle.

For speeches on behalf of Moon's organizations Bush has received well more than $1 million for himself and his library.

For the money, Moon and his organizations have received the prestige that association with a former president and the father of a president can bring.

That's a good deal for Bush, but not necessarily so good for the people who get caught up in Moon's weird web.

•Clarification: Ex-Magnolia Police Chief Ron Cunningham disputes a claim by Bobby Lee, who was falsely arrested and jailed by Cunningham's officers after being accused of stealing telephone service, that the chief did not apologize. Cunningham said he did apologize, twice. For not getting his denial for Friday's column, I apologize.

You can write to Rick Casey at P.O. Box 4260, Houston, TX 77210, or e-mail him at rick.casey@chron.com

(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. I.U. has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is I.U endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)


The Nazis, Fascists and Communists were political parties before they became enemies of liberty and mass murderers.