(Columbia) April 18, 2005 - President Bush knew he could count on a friendly audience at the State House when he stepped into Republican-rich South Carolina on Monday to rally support for his plan for Social Security.
     
It was an unusual stop on his 60-city, cross-country tour to talk about the future of the federal retirement system. Bush has watched his approval ratings drop during the blitz and has been the center of huge crowds in campaign-style surroundings along his tour.

Bush started the day landing in a remote section of Columbia Metro Airport, away from the main terminal. When he got to downtown Columbia, he chose to speak about 30 minutes to legislators, Governor Mark Sanford and US Senators Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint. The three have pushed for years the private Social Security accounts wanted by Bush.
     
Bush said it was the first time he had addressed a state legislature since he was governor of Texas. The president said Social Security is the government making promises it can't keep to future generations, "I understand that Social Security is a tough issue but Congress has tackled tough issues before. We've seen in the past how leaders of both parties can rise above partisan politics to meet great responsibilities. And now is the time for them to do so again." 
     
Bush was also expected to announce an appointment for long-time House Speaker David Wilkins, but that didn't happen. Legislators were confident enough that Bush would tap Wilkins to replace Paul Cellucci as US ambassador to Canada that four Republicans and a Democrat began openly campaigning more than a week ago for the speakership as news of the visit spread.

During the last of his three terms in the US House, Sanford pushed three Social Security bills, including one that returned the system's surpluses to workers through vouchers they could invest. Graham says voters in South Carolina understand that politicians have ignored Social Security's problems for too long.

Francis Marion University political science professor Neal Thigpen says, however, the warm reception the president got Monday has nothing to do with his Social Security plan. Thigpen says it all has to do with the fact Bush is a Republican and the Republican Party is strong in South Carolina.

The president was originally scheduled to address a joint session of the General Assembly several weeks ago, but postponed the trip to attend the pope's funeral.

Bush's visit to the State House marks the third address to the General Assembly for a sitting president since President Richard Nixon in 1972. Bush's father spoke at the State House in 1989. Bush has visited South Carolina eight times since becoming President. It is Bush's 22nd Social Security speech in his tour.

Some groups opposed to the president's plan conducted a protest. The group gathered at Second Calvary Baptist Church in downtown Columbia and marched to the State House. Sixth District Rep. Jim Clyburn told the protesters he's concerned the president's plan would hurt citizens with low-incomes or on disability, "Now you're coming to South Carolina and you expecting us to bail you out. Not this time, Mr. President. That's why we're here today, to point out to the public that this Social Security today is a smoke screen. There is no crisis in Social Security."

Across the street from the Capitol, about 30 Bush supporters rallied, including the state chairman of College Republicans. Franklin Buchanan says Social Security does need a fix and it is his generation that needs to be most concerned.

Reported by Jack Kuenzie

Updated 3:04pm by BrettWitt with AP