The New York Times' David D. Kirkpatrick has an extremely interesting article out in Sunday's paper on conversations between then-Governor George W. Bush and confidant Doug Wead regarding a number of touchy subjects, from Evangelicals to drug usage. Kirkpatrick writes this about the latter:

Mr. Bush, who has acknowledged a drinking problem years ago, told Mr. Wead on the tapes that he could withstand scrutiny of his past. He said it involved nothing more than "just, you know, wild behavior." He worried, though, that allegations of cocaine use would surface in the campaign, and he blamed his opponents for stirring rumors. "If nobody shows up, there's no story," he told Mr. Wead, "and if somebody shows up, it is going to be made up." But when Mr. Wead said that Mr. Bush had in the past publicly denied using cocaine, Mr. Bush replied, "I haven't denied anything."

He refused to answer reporters' questions about his past behavior, he said, even though it might cost him the election. Defending his approach, Mr. Bush said: "I wouldn't answer the marijuana questions. You know why? Because I don't want some little kid doing what I tried." [emphasis added]

If George W. Bush couldn't deny doing cocaine to a close friend a few years ago (he certainly didn't know the conversations were being taped for posterity), it's questionable that he would be able to do so on record. The real question is whether engaging in extramarital sexual relations is worse than possibly doing cocaine. I certainly don't believe that's the case, but it would be interesting to see what the religious right believes.