Social Security
"House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) has acknowledged that President Bush's call for completion of a Social Security bill this year could be unrealistic and that the legislation might have to wait until 2006," writes the Washington Post's Mike Allen, who Notes that Hastert's comments come in today's National Journal and were immediately met by insistence by Republicans and the White House that an overhaul be signed this year. LINK
Once again, we ask: why do these congressional leaders keep blurting these things out? "Not helpful," thinks the White House, per our ESP.
President Bush still has his show on the road, but his song ain't cruising up the charts, write USA Today's William Welch and Richard Benedetto. LINK
The New York Times on the labor protests: LINK
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove "spent a good part of his 26-minute speech pitching Bush's plan to revamp Social Security" in addition to talking up the re-election of Sen. Conrad Burns last night, the Helena (MT) Independent Record reports. LINK
Bloomberg's hyper-talented Heidi Przybyla looks at Democrats on the offense - holding town meetings on Social Security in GOP-controlled congressional districts, and has Dick Armey saying there is "wariness" still within his own party.
"Facing dissent head-on is part of the job description for the leader of a free people," writes E.J. Dionne in his criticism of how the White House has handled dissenters - i.e., thrown them out - of President Bush's Social Security town meetings. LINK
The Washington Times' Donald Lambro warms the heart of the Administration by claiming evidence that "Just Say No' might not appeal to all Democrats on Social Security. LINK
The New Republic's Ryan Lizza writes of Al Hubbard's favorite non-Republican, Robert Pozen: "Rather than a middle-ground alternative that points the way toward a grand bargain, Pozen's well-intentioned ideas actually reveal why there is probably no room for one." LINK
Rep. Bob Beauprez said Thursday in a radio show interview that he didn't have anything to do with the expulsion of three Denver people from a town hall by the President on Social Security. He told AP his office did not "purify" or "homogenize" the audience.
"'This is a very independent thing from any of our offices whether it is the governor's office or one of our congressional offices or a senatorial office,' Rep. Bob Beauprez, R-Colo., said on KHOW-AM. 'The White House does the deal. They literally come in and take over.'"