Bush Pitches Snake Oil and Lies, Opponents Plan Ads

NYT

In Florida, where the large population of retirees forms a powerful voting bloc, Bush offered reassurances his plan to carve personal investment accounts out of Social Security would not change the benefits of people 55 and older.

``You have nothing to fear,'' Bush said.

The largest group representing older Americas, AARP, plans a national advertising campaign casting the plan as a risky overreaction.

``I think that there's good reason for seniors to be concerned,'' said John Rother, a policy analyst at AARP.

Recent polls show public approval for Bush's handling of Social Security at about a third of those surveyed.