Exploiting a Misconception

Richard W. Stevenson writes in the New York Times that even as Bush continued to push, "Republicans said the White House and Congressional leaders were concerned that the fight over judicial nominees was further endangering any bipartisan deal on the retirement system and other high-profile issues.

In the Audience

John Schmid writes for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "Bush appeared to be speaking to the converted on Thursday. The 450 guests allowed into the museum's atrium received invitations through their membership in the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, the city's main business lobby, or its sister organization, the Young Professionals of Milwaukee.

"In interviews after the president spoke, a number of Milwaukee's young professionals concurred that they don't expect a government-sponsored social safety net to support them when they retire and expressed admiration for initiatives that allow them more leeway in how they save for their own retirement.

"When it comes to government-paid retirement funds, 'I factor zero for my personal planning,' said Rick Fessenbecker, managing director at Northwoods Software Development Inc., a fast-growing technology firm in Brown Deer.

" 'You have a whole generation saying the same thing,' the software executive said."

And yet Greg J. Borowski writes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that some of the invited guests weren't wowed.

"Among those in the audience was Beth Schuetz, 34, of Mequon, who hoped Bush would talk more about how his plan would be financed. She is part of the Social Security system, receiving disability payments as she fights breast cancer.

" 'It seemed like an infomercial,' she said. 'They all just repeated what he said verbatim.' "

Bush, One on One

Craig Gilbert of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel talked Social Security with Bush during a 25-minute interview as the president flew to yesterday's event.

" 'I readily concede for some this is a very difficult lift,' said Bush from behind his desk aboard Air Force One, during a one-on-one interview with the Journal Sentinel. 'Some would rather the issue not be raised. Some would hope that the president would go away. But that's not going to happen.' . . .

"But the president said he was confident that his persistence, his repetition 'over and over and over again' of the case for personal accounts, and the attention he has focused on Social Security's future financial problems would translate into public pressure on lawmakers to act. . . .

"At another point, Bush was asked whether he thought his election victory in November was an expression of support by voters for his Social Security plans. In a recent interview with the Journal Sentinel, Vice President Dick Cheney said he thought the election was a mandate for personal accounts, an interpretation Democrats have hotly disputed.