From Deseret News archives:
Utahn banters with Bush
Topics include Social Security . . . and football, BCS and Utes
Not the president of the Farm Bureau, mind you, the president.
The Millard County farmer was invited to the nation's capital to participate in a panel discussion at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on Social Security reforms.
Though other panelists weighed in on the subject at hand, Wright's portion of the panel discussion was more a Q and A about small towns and another vital issue he and President Bush had discussed prior to the meeting: football, the flawed Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in particular.
"He asked me if I could fix the BCS," Bush told the panelists and audience. "No, I'm not going there, Josh. I'm staying on Social Security. It may be a little easier to fix anyway."
"He said that they (the Utes) wouldn't be able to take Texas," Wright said.
"Wait a minute," Bush interrupted. "You don't need to talk about private conversations."
Asked about life back home, Wright said, "There's a lot more cows than there are people, so I spend a lot of time talking to animals."
"Are they talking back yet?" Bush queried. "When they start talking back, give me a call."
Bush had more immediate intentions in mind for Wright on Tuesday: He is a prime example of who Bush believes won't be helped by Social Security unless the act is reformed.
"If nothing happens, at your age, it will be bust by the time it comes time for you to retire," Bush said as he began steering the discussion toward monologue.
"If nothing happens and we don't start moving on it now, by the time Josh gets to retirement age, the system will be flat broke.
"And that's not right," the president added. "It seems like people who have been elected to office must say we want it to be wholesome and healthy, like it has been for other generations.
"I know there's a lot of politics here in Washington, and people are — some are afraid to touch it, some don't want to touch it, some provide excuses not to touch it," Bush said. "I know. I've heard it before.
"But I believe that the president has a responsibility for setting the agenda, and I believe people who have been elected to the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate has (sic) an obligation to confront problems head on."
The president's approach was not quite so direct moments later. Bush thanked Wright, then got the discussion back on track with a nod to Wright's father and soon-to-be fellow Social Security beneficiary:
"By the way, tell the old man (that) 1946 was a great year."
E-mail: spang@desnews.com
