NEW YORK, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Sen. John Kerry cited a report Sunday that claims President George Bush would seek to privatize Social Security in a second administration.
Kerry said the move would be "a disaster for America's middle class," CNN reported Sunday.
The Bush campaign said the president has long said certain changes are needed in the Social Security system, and that his plans could eventually help shore up the troubled program.
Battling for votes in a very close election, Bush and Sen. John Kerry have long traded barbs on the issue, which especially hits home with seniors. The latest tussle came as Kerry campaigned in the key swing state of Florida, home to a large number of senior citizens.
A New York Times Magazine reported Bush, at a recent private luncheon, said he would "come out strong" in a second term "with fundamental tax reform, tort reform, privatizing of Social Security."
In a written statement, Kerry said such a move "might be a good surprise for the wealthy and well-connected, but it's a disaster for America's middle class. The president's privatization plan for Social Security is another way of saying to our seniors that the promise of security will be broken."
