Kent Conrad: “One thing I learned about Senator Nickles is his word is absolutely gold.”

I thought he was an outstanding Committee Chairman, and my former intern has succeeded him in his Congressional seat.

We admire that, and I can say on both sides of the aisle, people recognize the job he did as Budget Committee Chairman.

I do, and I made that argument to the commission, and others on the commission made some of the points that you are making now.

I wish I could look you in the eye and say, you know, if we just had the will, we could reverse this, and we could go back to a time when defined benefit plans were on the increase. I do not think that is in the cards.