Bush Vows Floor Fight for Tower : Texan Still His ‘Only Choice’ for Defense Post Despite Setback

President Bush, domestic controversy threatening to mar his first overseas journey, declared today that his “only choice” for defense secretary is John Tower and vowed to fight for his confirmation by the full Senate.

After attending solemn funeral ceremonies for Japanese Emperor Hirohito, the President took time away from meetings with other foreign leaders in Tokyo to confront developments in Washington, where the Senate Armed Service Committee refused, 11 to 9, to support Tower’s nomination.

“I do not believe he is going down the drain,” Bush said of Tower’s chances of joining his Cabinet. “I hope the (full Senate) debate will clear up any questions about him.”

The committee vote--coming as the imperial funeral began--was the first major setback for the young Bush Administration and threatened to divert attention from the dynamic posture the President sought to strike on the world stage.

Excessive Drinking

Tower, a former senator from Texas, has been dogged by a variety of charges, the most damaging being claims of excessive drinking that Senate Democrats said make him unsuitable for a major place in the military chain of command.

But Bush forcefully endorsed his man today, saying, “I’m going to strongly continue to back Sen. Tower.”

The committee vote on Tower, although strictly on partisan lines, was surprising. Most observers had expected that the worst would be a decision by the panel to send the nomination to the floor without a recommendation. Instead, the vote was to oppose it.

Bush at first did not want to deal personally with the matter today. After more than two hours in a cold rain at the funeral, he spent another two hours near a warm fire in the U.S. Embassy meeting with a procession of foreign politicians and ignoring persistent questions from reporters.

No ‘Other Option’

Later, however, he relented and arranged a brief news conference--but not without an opening statement that sought to keep emphasis on his meetings with foreign leaders.

On filling the crucial Pentagon position, Bush said he had “not considered any other option. Sen. Tower is my only choice, and I’m standing with him. . . . I will do whatever I can to talk to individual senators. I believe I can pick up some votes.”

White House Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater said Bush’s chief of staff, John H. Sununu, had telephoned Tower to assure him of the President’s continued support.