President Bush tried once again last night to promote his controversial plan to introduce private accounts and reduce guaranteed social security benefits in the future as well as discussed the rising cost of gas and oil and some foreign policy issues as well in his first prime-time news conference in more than a year.

Social security is perhaps the toughest fight the president faces. He introduced the idea of a 'sliding scale benefit formula' which would mean lower guaranteed benefits for middle and upper class retirees.

Mr. Bush did promise, 'If you work hard and pay into Social Security your entire life, you will not retire into poverty' but Democrats were not satisfied with this claim.

'All the president did tonight was confirm that he will pay for his risky privatization scheme by cutting the benefits of middle-class seniors,' said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada).

President Bush was still not giving many details about his social security plan although he said, 'The money from a voluntary personal retirement account would supplement the check one receives from Social Security.'

The president also raised the idea that the private accounts could be used as nest eggs and passed on to a person's heirs if they are still solvent when a person dies. According to published reports, administration officials indicated to Republican members of Congress that lower income people would have to buy an annuity to guarantee themselves lifetime benefits and this would make it highly unlikely they could pass anything from their account to their children. Mr. Bush did not mention this in his remarks.

On energy, the president challenged Congress to have an energy bill on his desk by the end of the summer. He promised that 'There will be no price gouging at gas pumps in America' although gas prices are already at record highs and oil company profits are up considerably as well.

The president also urged the Senate to vote on all of his judicial nominees. Some of the more controversial nominees have been held up by Democratic filibusters which keep the nominees in limbo.

Mr. Bush steered clear of charges that religion played a part in the opposition by Democrats to some of his nominees, saying 'I think people oppose my nominees because of judicial philosophy.'

Questions were raised about foreign policy during the question and answer session with reporters following the president's prepared remarks. Mr. Bush expressed disappointment with Russia's decision to sell missiles to Syria, a nation that supports terrorist groups like Hezbollah.

The crisis of North Korea's new nuclear capability was also discussed with Mr. Bush reiterating his desire to restart the six nation talks designed to pressure Pyongyang into returning to the negotiating table.

'What we want to do is to work with our allies on this issue and develop a consensus, a common approach, to the consequences of (North Korean leader) Kim Jong Il,' Bush explained.

President Bush has set a challenging agenda for his second term. The social security overhaul and his energy policy will be uphill battles for Mr. Bush as they are presently unpopular with most Americans. How the president handles these challenges as well as the war in Iraq, will go a long way towards determining his legacy as a president.