Kitty Kelley: I Failed to Tape Coke Accusation

Bush biographer Kitty Kelley admitted on NBC's "Today" show Monday that she failed to tape-record an initial conversation with key source Sharon Bush in which Mrs. Bush allegedly accused George Bush of using cocaine, plus a follow-up call to confirm the story.

That oversight appeared to astonish "Today" host Matt Lauer.

"You did 88 interviews for this book and you told our producer you taped most of them," the incredulous host reminded Kelley, noting that Mrs. Bush categorically denies her story.

"Why would you go into a lunch [meeting] with Sharon Bush, who is a scorned woman in a major, nasty divorce from the president's brother, and not tape-record that conversation?" he pressed.

Kelley protested that she had witnesses to the conversation. "I had Peter [Gethers] there, I had Lou Colasuonno there, I had my notes. What's better than witnesses?"

What about the confirmation call the next day?

Kelley suggested she didn't want to spook Mrs. Bush by recording her comments, explaining, "She was hysterical at the time, and she said herself that Neil Bush left a message on her tape machine saying that if she didn't stop what she was doing she'd find herself in a dark alley."

Kelley denied that her book was a partisan hit piece timed to coincide with the election. But she dodged when asked who she voted for in the 2000 election.

"I voted in 2000. I'm registered in the District of Columbia," she told Lauer. "I vote for Republicans, I vote for Democrats."

Sharon Bush followed Kelley on the broadcast, and after denying her coke story again, suggested that Kelley and one of her witnesses were involved in "a relationship."

"[Lou Colasuonno] is a PR agent and he apparently has a relationship with Kitty," she told Lauer. "I'm not sure what his relationship is with Kitty Kelley. All I know is they have books to sell."

Editor's note: