President George W. Bush addressed the nation in a one-hour televised news conference last Thursday night. It was only the fourth prime-time news conference of his Presidency. Bush delivered an opening statement and then answered many questions from journalists.
The news conference came at the end of a two-month effort to gain support for the President's proposed plans to change Social Security. In his State of the Union address on February 2, Bush outlined his vision to change the government program that provides financial assistance to retired people, people with disabilities and others in need.
In order to gain support for the plan, Bush took his message on the road, visiting 60 cities in 60 days. Still, many do not support the proposal. On Thursday, he insisted that Social Security needs reform. "My pledge to the American people is that I'm going to stay on this issue because it's important," he said. "By 2041, Social Security will be bankrupt."
The President also spoke about energy. The high price of gasoline and oil is affecting individuals and having a negative impact on the U.S. economy. "My administration is doing everything we can to make gasoline more affordable," Bush said.