To the Point

Social Security, Politics' Third Rail Moves Front and Center

Senator Kerry is blasting away at President Bush for proposing to "privatize" America's favorite entitlement plan, Social Security. Bush says all he wants to do is allow younger workers the chance to invest some of their benefits in the stock market. Kerry calls that a "disaster," but he's unclear about what he wants to do. Even some Democrats say they're "disappointed." Is Social Security really in trouble or has a false crisis been drummed up to be used by both parties for different political reasons? Will current retirees see a cut in benefits? Will baby boomers get what they've been paying for? We hear from advocates of fiscal responsibility, and economists with the Bush campaign and Clinton administration. Making News: CARE Director in Iraq is Kidnapped The director of CARE International in Iraq has become the highly unlikely victim of kidnapping today. Margaret Hassan is a British-born Iraqi citizen who has been doing humanitarian work in Iraq for 25 years. Scott Peterson, who reports from Baghdad for the Christian Science Monitor, says no demands have been made in relation to the kidnapping of a woman whose life has been defined by her selfless work to Iraqis. Reporter's Notebook: Are Newspaper Endorsements Meaningless? All over the US, newspapers are making endorsements in the presidential campaign. This year, it's not the New York Times but the Columbus Dispatch in Ohio that both campaigns wanted most. Yet pollsters, political pros and editors themselves agree that endorsements really don't mean very much. So what's the big deal? Steve Delaney of Burlington's Hawk Eye, in the swing state of Iowa, considers the significance of endorsements.