Internet story of Bush witnessing called a hoax

A story about President-elect George W. Bush leading a young man to Christ during a banquet is making the rounds on the Internet. It’s an inspiring story — but it appears to be a hoax.

The most common e-mailed version of the story credits it to a Jeff Benoit at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas. Benoit is said to have a friend who served on Bush’s campaign staff in Austin, Texas, who told him this story: “Last week, Gov. Bush appeared at the thank-you banquet for his campaign staff, and was going table to table to shake hands with the 1,000-plus campaign volunteers. He got to one lady, who by a brief comment she made, indicated she was a Christian. She was with her 16-year-old son. Gov. Bush asked him if he was a believer, too. He said he didn’t think so. Gov. Bush then asked, ‘Do you mind if I tell you how I came to know Christ as my Savior?’ The boy agreed, and Gov. Bush pulled up a chair and witnessed to him for 30 minutes, and led him in the sinner’s prayer!”

A representative of Prestonwood Baptist Church said they’ve received hundreds of calls about the story, but can’t confirm its truthfulness.

The representative said Jeff Benoit doesn’t attend the church, but may have been a campaign worker in Austin.

There is a Jeff Benoit in Austin and he’s received dozens of calls about this, but says he’s not the source of the story and doesn’t know anybody on the Bush campaign staff.