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April 28, 2005

At Symbolic Milepost, Bush to Hold News Conference Tonight

By RICHARD W. STEVENSON

WASHINGTON, April 28 - On the eve of the 100th day of his second term, President Bush will hold a prime-time news conference this evening to make his case for revamping Social Security and, more broadly, to reassert himself at a moment when he is under pressure on a variety of fronts.

Mr. Bush will answer questions from journalists in the East Room of the White House after making a statement of approximately 10 to 12 minutes, his chief spokesman, Scott McClellan, said.

Mr. Bush will also talk about high gasoline and crude oil prices and the importance of addressing the nation's long-term energy needs, Mr. McClellan said. The session in the East Room of the White House is to begin at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

(The White House initially set the starting time as 8:30 p.m. It said it changed the time "due to the complications of networking programming," according to Reuters.)

The news conference - the fourth Mr. Bush has held in prime time - marks a vital moment in the administration's efforts to convince the nation and Congress that Social Security's projected long-term financial problems need to be addressed now and that individual investment accounts should be part of any solution.

Mr. Bush is also certain to be asked about John R. Bolton, his embattled nominee for United Nations ambassador, whose confirmation the White House has made a top priority. Mr. Bush may be asked, too, about his relationship with Representative Tom DeLay of Texas, the powerful House majority leader, whose political future has been clouded by accusations of ethical missteps. Mr. Bush may also be queried about his lagging strength in public opinion polls.

It is probably not coincidence that his appearance tonight virtually coincides with the 100-day mark of his term. Since the days of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the first 100 days of a term have been a measure, artificial or otherwise, of how a president is doing. Mr. Bush's advisers are well aware of that, just as they know that before too many more months have passed, Mr. Bush's influence could begin to wane. Lawmakers will be focusing less on his agenda and more on their re-election campaigns in 2006 - or on the 2008 presidential contest.

As for Social Security, administration officials from Mr. Bush on down have blanketed the country for two months, trying to convince workers and retirees of the need for prompt action and of the benefits of the president's approach. But polls show that support for Mr. Bush's handling of Social Security has fallen and that voters increasingly disapprove of investment accounts. The White House had signaled that once its 60-day Social Security push ended, as it will this weekend, Mr. Bush would begin to talk specifically not just about the retirement program's problems but his preferred solutions.

His appearance tonight will be the first opportunity since Mr. Bush's State of the Union address nearly three months ago that the president can make his case to a national audience. But it will also be the first time that he has talked in any detail about the steps that he believes will be needed beyond the creation of investment accounts to ensure Social Security's solvency as the baby boom generation retires.

Mr. McClellan declined to say what steps Mr. Bush would discuss. But the president and some of his top officials have tipped their hands in recent weeks. In particular, Mr. Bush has made clear his support for cutting benefits for future retirees in a way that would hit higher-income people harder than lower-income people through an approach called progressive indexation.

Mr. Bush has also signaled that he will be willing to consider a tax increase in the form of an increase in the cap on the amount of wages that are subject to the Social Security payroll tax. House Republican leaders have rejected any tax increase, and it is unclear that Mr. Bush will embrace one in the end, but his intention in putting the possibility on the table was to signal to Democrats that he was serious about taking the politically difficult steps needed to meet his goal of making Social Security permanently solvent.

1 posted on 04/28/2005 4:00:19 PM PDT by Howlin
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To: Howlin

Two opinions on this news conference: the WH press corp is spiteful and nasty - they are no friends of conservatives; and Bush has too much rouge on his cheeks, or my TV needs more tuning. I think Bush is doing a good job.


541 posted on 04/28/2005 5:41:12 PM PDT by Alissa
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To: Howlin

Who was the brother report.


595 posted on 04/28/2005 5:47:22 PM PDT by Trueblackman (Terrorism and Liberalism never sleep and neither do I)
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To: Howlin

Thought there would be questions about the roadmap, the keystone issue of the NE.


607 posted on 04/28/2005 5:48:25 PM PDT by ex-snook (Exporting jobs and the money to buy America is lose-lose..)
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To: Howlin
I think the Prez is near the top of his game tonight, particularly with respect to Social Security. He made the point well, and should continue to do so, that investment of a small portion of one's own money in the stock market is voluntary. It is difficult to understand why this is being resisted.

Excellent comments on North Korea.

I'm a bit surprised at the lack of Presidential comments, or questions from the peanut gallery, on the Senate judicial matter. I like what Senator Frist said today, and any support from the President would be welcome. I hope to hear it before the presser is finished.

622 posted on 04/28/2005 5:49:49 PM PDT by southernnorthcarolina (UNC Tar Heels: NCAA Basketball Champions 1957/1982/1993/2005)
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To: Howlin

All the networks BAILED!


739 posted on 04/28/2005 6:01:20 PM PDT by Lunatic Fringe (North Texas Solutions http://ntxsolutions.com)
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To: Howlin
Overall 7 outta 10,the old media will be talkin' about SS for the next 6 months,guess that was the idea.

(And it was easy to dance to;)

787 posted on 04/28/2005 6:05:59 PM PDT by mdittmar (May God watch over those who serve,and have served, to keep us free.)
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To: Howlin
The President really has mastered his job. He was on top of each issue with no stumbles and he still remained as gracious and contactful as ever.

My only concern was his makeup. If you compare his with that of Brit Hume or anyone on Fox News, it left a lot to be desired. His makeup seemed to conceal fine musculature in his face and had a patchy look. Could be my TV but the Fox personnel looked just great. Since TV is a visual media, someone should hire Fox makeup artists the next time around.

842 posted on 04/28/2005 6:12:50 PM PDT by shrinkermd
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To: Howlin
Sigh. So it will be even more Socialist Security than even before: "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need."

The private accounts are a fine idea, but I don't like the idea of this "progressive indexing."

I don't why so many bad, socialist ideas get tagged with the word "progressive", but I use its appearance as a big red flag that it indicates some lefty idea.

843 posted on 04/28/2005 6:13:16 PM PDT by snowsislander
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To: Howlin

The Right needs a better spokesperson, if indeed he speaks for the right. I realize the press is the enemy, but ducking an grinning only appear as a sign of weakness, imo. Then again, I may suffer from 'style-over-substance' syndrom. Tough cowboy trumps cute cowboy, especially when the issue is N. Korea.


936 posted on 04/28/2005 6:34:46 PM PDT by budwiesest
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To: Howlin
The president holding a news conference with the White House Press Core is like being on a thread by myself with thirty trolls and the zot button is broken.

They mentioned over and over about polls (most if not all taken by liberals) the say America thinks you stink Mr. President, would you like to comment on that?

The only way the Democrats will be able to receive anything on the presidents agenda is to roll it up real tight and shove it up their collective a$$es.

Hannity asked that hack Congressman Smith what the Democrats plan was to fix S.S. and he said they didn't have a plan, yup! just like everything else no plan required just obstruct obstruct obstruct.

It is time to start playing hard ball with these losers.
976 posted on 04/28/2005 6:51:02 PM PDT by TheForceOfOne
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To: Howlin
Great performance by our President. He nailed lot of issues social security reform, energy, Iraq, the War on terror, North Korea, etc...

This the best news conference he has ever had.

988 posted on 04/28/2005 6:56:37 PM PDT by jveritas (The Left cannot win a national election ever again.)
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To: Howlin

I think the mistake the Republicans made was allowing the Dems to frame the debate from the start, the plan is voluntary, you can't repeat that word enough. It's giving the option for that solid 35% who are for personal accounts to invest their money for a better return. Doing what you want with your own money at your leisure sounds reasonable to most people, on the other hand personal accounts being pushed for everyone turns some people off. I think it would be such a shame if the Democrats win this issue, because I'm young and I want to have that opportunity. All my parents give a damn about is getting their own checks.


996 posted on 04/28/2005 7:02:12 PM PDT by grizzly84
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To: All
It was very disturbing to hear Bush say that rich people dont deserve their benefits and it is okay to cut their benefits and redistribute their money to other people.

Also the argument for Privatization using the excuse that if it is good enough for Congress it is good enough for the American people, can be a slippery slope. Liberals always say we need the same healthcare plan congress offers.

(I support privatization but the argument that it is better for people to make their own decisions is good enough) The fact is that SS is a mistake made by that Socialist RAT Roosevelt and the whole point of Privatization is to get rid of it by making people responsible, not just enlarging another entitlement program.

1,003 posted on 04/28/2005 7:14:04 PM PDT by Evolution
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To: All
Just saw the conference. The President did a great job. Direct and honest will always beat slick and evasive in the long term.

The press however was terrible. The administration needs to use "Reagan Rules" and limit followups to the number stated before the original question. The current policy of permitting the kind of bickering seen tonight demeans the office.

1,051 posted on 04/28/2005 10:30:41 PM PDT by Ronaldus Magnus
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To: Howlin
This was the most boring press conference imaginable. Not a word about illegals, border security. Nothing about his supposed plan to put new refineries on closed military bases.

It was poor and rambling even by Bush standards.

1,057 posted on 04/29/2005 12:36:04 AM PDT by newzjunkey (Demand Mexico Turnover Fugitive Murderers: http://www.escapingjustice.com)
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