Bush, who received little backing from African-Americans during his election campaign, plans to meet with black ministers from throughout the country to discuss his proposal to use religious programs to deliver services, such as drug treatment and welfare-to-work, which have typically been handled by the government.

"There is some wedge politics that Bush can creatively play," said Eugene Rivers, who runs the faith-based Ten Point Coalition in Boston, Mass., and is one of the ministers who will meet with Bush. "Democrats always thought they had a proprietary right to black churches. This will highlight some fissures that exist on the liberal-left side."

As Texas governor, Bush has supported prisoner rehabilitation, drug treatment and welfare-to-work programs that have a religious component.

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