From Holden:
You can almost feel the earth shifting under Little Scottie’s feet as he is asked repeatedly about the lack of support for the Boss’s plans to privatize Social Security.
Q Any lawmakers on the plane?
MR. McCLELLAN: No. No.
Q Scott, did he speak with Senator Nelson today?
MR. McCLELLAN: I’m sorry?
Q Did the President speak with Senator Nelson today?
MR. McCLELLAN: I don’t know any update on the conversation with him, if that’s what you’re asking at this point.
Q They did chat, though, before the event — or after?
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me just double-check. Before the event he was visiting with the conversation participants, so I don’t know if they had the opportunity to visit at any great length or not afterwards; I’ll double-check.
Q Will he speak with Florida’s Nelson?
MR. McCLELLAN: Sorry?
Q Will he speak with Florida’s Nelson?
MR. McCLELLAN: You mean if he’s there? I don’t know — I’d have to check, I don’t know that he’s going to be at the event. But, look, the President has made it very clear that Social Security faces a serious problem for our children and grandchildren, that he intends to work in a way — in a bipartisan way to find a solution.
Returning to the subject later…
Q Did the number of Republicans expressing concern about, or wariness about the proposals — do you think this is a tougher sell for the President than he expected?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I don’t know that I’d necessarily view it the way you described it. I mean, I think you see that there are Republican leaders that are talking about ideas for solving this problem, and that’s an important part of advancing a bipartisan solution — which the President is continuing to focus on doing.
[snip]
Q Some of them are saying that they’re not sure that it can be done this year.
MR. McCLELLAN: Who?
Q Hagel.
MR. McCLELLAN: There are many leaders on both sides of the aisle — I think there are leaders on both sides of the aisle that recognize that now is the time to act, because the problem only gets worse over time. And that’s one of the things you’re hearing the President talk about. I know that there are some Democrats who are using scare tactics because they don’t want to acknowledge the problem.
[snip]
Q Is it a tougher sell than he thought?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think that you have seen in the first term that there are — you know, this is early in the process, first of all, so posturing is to be expected this early in the process.
Oh, I’m cryin’ hot little tears for Scottie now. The president has his titties caught in a wringer and it’s Scottie’s job to deny that the wringer exists. Even Jeff Gannon can’t rescue him from this one.