Bush touts grassroots enthusiasm for GOP candidates

President Bush predicted Wednesday that Republicans would maintain control of Congress, suggesting his confidence was based on the GOP's ability turn out its base.

"I see a lot of enthusiasm amongst the grassroots activists -- our people are going out there to man the phones and to put up the yard signs," said Bush, who spoke to reporters for more than an hour during an East Room news conference. "We've got a fantastic grassroots organization to turn out the vote," he said, adding, "our people are ready to go out there and ... vote our candidates back into power."

Bush said the elections would be a referendum on "which party has got the plan that will enable our economy ... to continue to grow, and which party has a plan to protect the American people." Bush placed the unpopular Iraq war within the broader security framework and indicated the economic issue boiled down to "who best to keep taxes low."

Bush said he has not "given up" on three stalled priorities: Social Security overhaul, tax reform, and passage of a comprehensive immigration bill. But Finance ranking member Max Baucus, D-Mont., on Wednesday objected to the suggestion that the president would renew his push for payroll-tax funded savings accounts, which Democrats view as privatization of the system.

"The president's comments today fly in the face of the American people's clearly expressed decision on Social Security," Baucus said in a statement. "Retirees and the folks who are working to earn Social Security benefits today have made it plain that they do not want the privatization that will put their benefits at risk and increase the national debt."

Bush opened the session with a lengthy statement on Iraq in which he acknowledged dissatisfaction with the situation and "serious concern" with the stepped-up violence of the last month. He sought to reassure voters that the United States is adjusting its tactics in Iraq, and he promised to "carefully consider" recommendations expected from an independent commission headed by former Secretary of State James Baker and former Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind.

The president expressed confidence in Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, calling him "the right man," but he indicated his support is not open ended. "I speak to him quite frequently, and I remind him we're with him so long as he continues to make tough decisions." He evinced no willingness to work with Syria or Iran to help improve the Iraq situation, saying the United Sates would talk with Iran "if they would verifiably stop their [uranium] enrichment."

Bush also continued to show unequivocal support for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, saying he was satisfied with how Rumsfeld has performed and calling him a "smart, tough, capable administrator."