Jenna's Story: A New Author Steps Forth

She's not inclined to elaborate about the underage drinking citations, coming five weeks apart in the spring of 2001, that resulted in a small fine, a suspended driver's license and the requirement that she perform community service and attend alcohol-awareness classes. When asked, in this context, what the hardest thing about being the president's daughter has been, she says, "Seeing my dad criticized."

Beyond elopement jokes, she doesn't talk much about her engagement to Henry Hager, either. "We really do want to stay private," she says. "We both realize that it's eight more -- oh, please, no! -- a year and a half more and then somebody else's kids will be in the White House. And we can go live our lives in whatever way we want."

She's undaunted by questions touching on the politics of AIDS. She praises her father's overseas initiatives while noting that "the Clinton Foundation is doing amazing work in Africa and in Latin America" as well.

"Ana's Story" features a UNICEF-compiled list of "Ten Myths About HIV/AIDS." No. 6 reads, "Condoms don't protect you from HIV."

"A pretty obvious myth," Bush says. "Everybody knows that condoms prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS."

She loses no opportunity to lavish praise on UNICEF and those who work there. But she deflects a question about the Bush administration's combative relationship with the United Nations as a whole.

"I'm not my dad," she says. "I can tell you that UNICEF is doing incredible work."

Some of that work is in Iraq. UNICEF reported in May that since the 2003 invasion, 4 million Iraqis -- "nearly 15 percent of Iraq's total population" -- have been forced to flee their homes. Half are children.

Asked about this, Bush's voice gets quiet.

"Nobody wants war," she says. "I definitely, and my father definitely doesn't want war. But it's a horribly complicated situation." She's not an expert, she says. "But I can say it's devastating. . . . I think everybody can agree on that."

She didn't read the 2006 op-ed piece in which Michael Kinsley argued that the president's daughters were now old enough to be "independent moral actors, and their situation requires that they either publicly oppose their father's war or do something to support it." Her voice acquires a sharper edge when it's mentioned.

"I'm not going to comment against my father," she says. "I love him, you know?" To her, he's "not the president" but someone she still sees "as I did when I was in third grade."

Which was?

"As the most wonderful father in the entire world. As supportive. As the guy that came to my soccer practices and cheered me on when I made a goal for the wrong team."

A minute later:

"Obviously, all of this breaks my heart."

* * *

HarperCollins has printed 500,000 copies of "Ana's Story" and it is sending Bush on a tour of more than 25 cities. Last night, ABC broadcast her first TV interview, with Diane Sawyer on "20/20." This is not a normal first-time author's book launch, to put it mildly.

"Because this name is on this book, maybe more people will read it," Bush says. "If that's the case, I'm so thrilled by that."

The former teacher also seemed thrilled, yesterday morning, to kick off her tour with a more personal event at her old school.

"This is the best school in the United States!" she told the 30 or so Elsie Whitlow Stokes sixth-graders who trooped in to hear her read from "Ana's Story" and to get books signed by the teacher they called "Miss Jenna."

"Ana changed my life," she said. "She wanted the kids in the United States -- you -- to be educated about the illness she was living with."

"Can you get HIV from holding hands?" she asked a bit later. "No!" the kids chorused back.

When she was done talking and signing, she moved around the room, greeting children, patting heads, offering hugs.

To look at her, you'd have thought she hadn't even noticed the guy from NBC with the giant camera on his shoulder who shadowed her the whole time.