The Shadow Of Bob Jones

George W. Bush was in Virginia Friday, looking ahead to the state's Tuesday primary. However, it was a past primary that continued to haunt him, reports CBS News Correspondent Phil Jones.

The problem: His appearance at Bob Jones University in South Carolina. Bush was asked again today why he had not denounced the university's attitudes against Catholics and interracial dating.

"I did denounce it. I denounced it," he said. "I denounced interracial dating and anti-Catholic bigotry."

Realizing he had misspoken when he said he denounced interracial dating, Bush tried again:

"The Bob Jones policy on interracial dating, I mean I spoke out on interracial dating. I spoke out against that. I spoke out against interracial dating. I support the policy of interracial dating."

Bush knows religious conservatives are powerful in Virginia. In 1996, Republican voters here were asked if they were part of the religious right - 38 percent said yes.

So he was trying not to offend religious conservatives when he was asked if he'd told the father of the Christian Coalition, Pat Robertson, not to make anti-McCain phone calls like he did in Michigan.

"No, I have not personally asked," said Bush. "I'm glad to have everyone's support. I just hope he is mindful that he'll come under attack."

Even Bush's strongest supporters concede that his future depends on how he does on March 7, Super Tuesday.

"If George does not prevail, yeah, a lot of people will say 'what's going on here,'" says Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating. "But right now, people think that the McCain phenomenon is largely the man on the horseback and the open primary phenomenon."

Meanwhile, there are indications that Bush's campaign coffers (once swelling with almost $70 million) could be down to $4 million by next week, while McCain plans to outspend Bush in at least one key state - California.