Mother Calls Neil ‘Most Honest Boy in the World’

First Lady Barbara Bush defended her embattled son, Neil, the target of an intense savings and loan scandal probe, as “the most honest boy in the world” and one who has done nothing wrong.

Mrs. Bush, who arrived in Seattle late Thursday to attend a fund-raiser for Republican Rep. John Miller and speak to volunteers at the Goodwill Games, made the remarks at a news conference.

“The President spoke for our family (last week),” Mrs. Bush said. “But lest there be any doubt in your mind, my boy is the most honest boy in the world.”

The First Lady jokingly dispensed with reporters’ questions about her husband’s policies. But she spoke calmly but emphatically when asked about allegations linking Neil Bush, 34, to the collapse of Silverado Banking, Savings & Loan.

The federal Office of Thrift Supervision has accused Neil Bush of failing to disclose his business ties to two big Silverado borrowers while he was on the board of directors of the Colorado thrift.

The First Lady said, “Neil has no problems. He’s done nothing wrong.”

The allegations against him, she said, “go with the game. It makes me feel sad as a mother” that her son and his family have to go through the ordeal, “but that’s the game. We’ve been around a long time. The President spoke for me.”

President Bush, in an emotional defense of his son last week, told reporters he had “confidence in the honor and integrity of my son. . . . This is not easy for me as a father.”