Bush on privatization: I said what?

Here's What's Left catches the president in a moment of stupor:

The Post: Will you talk to Senate Democrats about your privatization plan?

THE PRESIDENT: You mean, the personal savings accounts?

The Post: Yes, exactly. Scott has been --

THE PRESIDENT: We don't want to be editorializing, at least in the questions.

The Post: You used partial privatization yourself last year, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes?

The Post: Yes, three times in one sentence. We had to figure this out, because we're in an argument with the RNC [Republican National Committee] about how we should actually word this. [Post staff writer] Mike Allen, the industrious Mike Allen, found it.

THE PRESIDENT: Allen did what now?

The Post: You used partial privatization.

THE PRESIDENT: I did, personally?

The Post: Right.

THE PRESIDENT: When?

The Post: To describe it.

THE PRESIDENT: When, when was it?

The Post: Mike said it was right around the election.

THE PRESIDENT: Seriously?

The Post: It was right around the election. We'll send it over.

THE PRESIDENT: I'm surprised. Maybe I did. It's amazing what happens when you're tired. Anyway, your question was? I'm sorry for interrupting.

Ugh.

Ugh indeed. But this should be a bright flashing beacon to all Democrats and clear thinkers involved in the Social Security privatization debate. When the President hates to call his program Social Security privatization, that should be a strong hint that their research shows people don't like the idea of Social Security privatization. So if the opponents of Social Security privatization refer to the Bush's Social Security privatization plan as a Social Security privatization plan, public support for his privatization plan will drop.

I hope I'm not to redundant there. I lost my right wing thesaurus.