He’s recovering from a bout with the flu, but even that won’t keep Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley from a flight to Iowa aboard Air Force One. Grassley is flying with President Bush tomorrow (Wednesday) from Washington D.C. to Cedar Rapids where they’ll hold a town hall-style meeting on Social Security reform. Grassley says Social Security is strong today “but our grandchildren are not going to enjoy what Grampa Grassley enjoys,” adding, the retirement system he uses is based on F-D-R’s “new deal,” while his granddaughter will get “a raw deal if we don’t change it.” Grassley has met with Bush on several occasions to discuss what he sees as needed Social Security reforms. Grassley says it’s a “moral issue” for the president, be he a democrat or a republican, to bring up the issue. The President’s stopping in Cedar Rapids as part of a 60-day, 60-city blitz to discuss Social Security. Grassley says he’ll accompany Bush on the Cedar Rapids trip even though he’s been “terribly sick” recently. Grassley says he’s obligated to make the trip as the President set it up around his schedule. The midday event is at Kirkwood Community College. It’s Bush’s first trip to Iowa since November.
