ORT WORTH - It was an all too familiar tableau of modern American tragedy. A gunman inexplicably kills children, this time at a Baptist church, and a politician shows up to offer comfort and promise action.
But this time, the politician was Texas Governor George W. Bush, the Republican presidential front-runner, and his two jobs had suddenly come together in the aftermath of the gunfire. An ardent opponent of gun control, and an outspoken advocate of the right to carry concealed weapons, Bush interrupted a campaign trip and arrived on the scene facing questions about his stance on guns.
''I don't know a governmental law that will put love in people's hearts,'' Bush said, decrying what he called a ''wave of evil.''
It is a moment in the midst of a campaign that has gone almost entirely his way, that may provide an opening for Bush's rivals who back some greater gun control - Elizabeth Dole among the Republicans and the two Democratic contenders - to argue that Bush is too closely allied with the gun lobby. Moreover, it might undercut, on this score at least, Bush's argument on the stump that his achievements in Texas provide a model for the rest of the country.
Even before the shooting, some Republicans who expect Bush to be the nominee figured that Democrats would run ''attack'' ads next fall that highlight Bush's position in favor of carrying concealed weapons. If such ads run, the killing in Bush's backyard might provide ample, if controversial, footage.
After a night of indecision about whether to leave the campaign trail, Bush thrust himself into the tragedy, canceling two Michigan fund-raisers in order to fly back to Texas and visit the victims. He had been informed late Wednesday night that the gunman, Larry Gene Ashbrook, 47, had burst into a youth rally with two handguns, killing seven people, injuring others, and then committing suicide. The two guns reportedly were bought legally, one at a flea market, the other at a gun store.
By midafternoon, Bush had arrived at Southwest High School, which was attended by some of the victims and is near the church. Awaiting him were students, politicians, and a horde of reporters, many of them asking about Bush's campaign and his position on guns.
Bush calmly deflected the questions, seeking to turn the focus away from guns and toward his belief that students were uniting in prayer against hatred.
''Hundreds of students poured out to the flagpole to pray, not once but twice,'' Bush said.
''That is an outpouring of love and concern that happpened in a spontaneous way. ... There is some goodness that can come out of tragedy.''
Asked what government can do to prevent such tragedies, Bush said that the government ''can send clear signals that there will be consequences for bad behavior.'' Pressed on what kind of signal was sent by his approval of a 1995 bill that allows Texans to carry concealed weapons with a permit, Bush responded, ''I believe the law we passed in Texas has made Texas a safer place.''
Although most of the Republican candidates are roughly in line with Bush on guns, Dole has advocated some controls, such as child safety locks on guns. The big difference is with the Democratic candidates. Former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley has called for registration of all handguns and Vice President Al Gore has suggested a series of tough gun control measures.
President Clinton, speaking at the White House, acknowledged that there was nothing the government could do to prevent every such tragedy, but he added: ''There is a lot more we can.''
Clinton has called for the passage of numerous gun control measures, but a coalition of Republicans and Democrats so far have prevented them from becoming law.
But at the Southwest High School, the principal, Susan Gregory, and the Democratic mayor of Fort Worth, Kenneth Barr, both agreed with Bush that there was little reason to think another gun law would have made a difference.
''It is really a tough issue in Texas,'' Barr said. ''We need to really tighten up the laws we have.'' But Barr also said that handguns and assault weapons ''are tearing our cities up.''
By day's end, Bush had visited some shooting victims at local hospital, comforted relatives and students and visited the church where the shooting occurred. Last night, he headed home to Austin, where he planned to have a long talk with his 17-year-old twin daughters about why some people have ''evil in the heart.''
