Bush: Steroid report shines light on issue

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush hopes the just-released report on illegal performance-enhancing drugs in baseball marks the end of their use, the White House said.

The report on doping in baseball was made public Thursday by former Sen. George Mitchell, D-Maine. The investigation by Mitchell said the Major League Baseball Commissioner's Office, the players union, club officials and players share the blame for the use of illicit performance-enhancing drugs.

Bush hadn't seen the report, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said during a media briefing, but he "hopes that this report marks the beginning of the end of steroid abuse."

Perino said Bush reiterated he didn't realize steroid use was occurring during his days as an owner of the Texas Rangers. Outfielder Jose Canseco, on the Rangers' roster from 1992-94, has said he didn't understand how Bush couldn't know that steroid use was happening on the team.

"The president said ... he did not recall steroids being used or discussed in that period in 1993 or before," Perino said. "But now that we have this report, which is something the president encouraged, we can shine a light on this problem and hopefully bring help to those who need it."