BY FRANK DAVIES

 WASHINGTON -- President Bush said Friday that the controversial policy of the Clinton administration to send Cubans rescued on
 the high seas back to Cuba remains in place.

 ``We will analyze all policies with Cuba, but right now, the same policy that my predecessor had in place stands,'' Bush said during a
 wide-ranging interview in the White House with The Herald and seven other newspapers.

 The interview came as Bush, in a buoyant mood Friday, savored two big successes this week in the House -- passage of an energy
 bill that includes drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and a compromise version of a ``patients' bill of rights'' that he
 negotiated.

 Bush was expansive in discussing ways to keep pressure on the Cuban government -- from ``cranking up TV Martí again, to try to
 blast our way through the shield, get the message of freedom there,'' to upholding trade sanctions.

 But he was cautious on the subject of migration from Cuba when asked about the ``wet foot-dry foot'' policy that mandates that
 Cubans found at sea be returned.

 About 400 Cubans have been returned since Bush became president. This week an exception was made for 20 Cubans rescued from
 a capsized boat 20 miles south of Key West. They were allowed to enter the United States to help authorities investigate a
 migrant-smuggling operation. The two men suspected of being the smugglers were also detained.

 ``We're adhering to that policy while treating emergency cases with compassion,'' he said.

 During the presidential campaign last fall, Bush said he would thoroughly examine all Clinton policies on Cuba. ``We're reviewing all
 our Cuban policy,'' said Bush, but he would not say if he was considering any changes in migration policy.

 On a major immigration issue, Bush said he was hopeful the United States and Mexico will reach an agreement by early September that would pave the way to legalize the status of up to 3 million Mexicans and ``serve as a precedent for other nationalities.

 ``I fully recognize, particularly in Miami and a lot of other places, there are workers here from other nationalities,'' said Bush. ``But to me, it makes sense to deal with the Mexican issue first, simply because the numbers are so overwhelming.''

 Referring to different groups, Bush said the process would be ``very sequential, as opposed to competitive,'' while recognizing special situations, as when he granted
 temporary protected status for Salvadorans earlier this year.

 Bush said that economic reality and humane concerns motivated his drive to help undocumented immigrants achieve at least temporary worker status, and possibly move toward citizenship.

 As he heads to his Texas ranch today, Bush said he was ``optimistic'' that when he returns to Washington in September he could work with Congress to enact both the energy legislation and patients' bill of rights, along with the education bill he is seeking.

 The House-passed energy bill faces an uncertain fate in the Democratic-controlled Senate and the patients' bill of rights must be reconciled with a Senate version that is tougher on insurers.

 ``I'm more than willing to share credit when credit is due,'' Bush said. ``But a constructive attitude says, how can we work together, as opposed to not wanting to work together at all. I believe we will get a lot of these matters solved.''

 On the patients' bill of rights, Bush criticized Democrats for not ``embracing the compromise'' he worked out with Rep. Charles Norwood, R-Ga., on the liability of HMOs. His message to them: ``Do you want to work out the differences, or not? And I think some in this town would rather play politics than do what's right.''

 On energy policy, Bush praised conservation efforts, adding that ``we've got to find natural gas to power the plants'' under construction around the nation.

 But he said the search for natural gas in the Gulf of Mexico would respect the wishes of Florida -- and his brother, Gov. Jeb Bush -- in keeping drilling more than 100 miles from the coast.

 ``I told the people of Florida that I would work with the governors, and the governor of Florida, on offshore drilling,'' Bush said. ``We put an offshore ban in place that was more stringent than the previous administration's.''

 Bush also said he wanted to continue President Bill Clinton's dialogue on race relations, but on his own terms.

 ``The dialogue on education is a dialogue on race. The dialogue on ownership of homes is a dialogue about race. There's no question we need to reconcile issues. And if it helps to have people talk, I think that's important,'' said Bush.

 ``But to me, the best dialogue is the dialogue of results. It's to put policy in place that empowers people,'' he said, touting his initiative to allow religious organizations to seek federal funds.

                                    © 2001