Orlando, Fla. ? As the mother of President Bush and the matriarch of America’s presiding political dynasty, Barbara Bush probably does not rely on Social Security to get by. But on Friday, the former first lady joined her son’s campaign to convince seniors that they need not fear an overhaul of the retirement program.

The 80-year-old first mother said she was worried about what Social Security might mean for future Bushes if the president’s plans are not adopted.

“I’m here because your father and I have 17 grandchildren,” she said. “And we want to know, is someone going to do something about it?”

Joking that he had inherited his father’s eyes but “my mother’s mouth,” the president assured her that he would remain as stubborn as he was raised to be as he tries to convince a skeptical Congress to let younger workers divert a portion of their payroll taxes into private investment accounts.

“You’ll see. I think you’ll see by the time this is over that there is an interest and a desire, a willingness to take on a tough issue, just like you taught me,” he said.

The mother-son duo engaged in the kind of joking banter about their relationship that has been a staple of Bush political speeches — using the mother’s no-nonsense approach to life to remind audiences of the stubborn quality that makes the president so popular with supporters.

The president also secured the help of his brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, whose popularity in this senior-rich state could help reverse the growing unrest among retirees about the White House proposal. The two brothers appeared together Friday in Pensacola.

The president’s visit to Florida was designed to counter recent public opinion surveys that show growing opposition among seniors to Bush’s plan for worker-owned Social Security accounts. Bush argues that the accounts would allow younger workers to earn a greater return, while he insists that nothing would change for anyone born after 1950.

President Bush touts his Social Security reform proposals before a hand-picked audience at the Lake Nona YMCA Family Center in Orlando, Fla. In a state with a large population of retirees, Bush sought to assure seniors they will continue to receive their regular government checks, while he pushes for a system of private accounts which would enable younger workers to divert a portion of their payroll taxes from Social Security deductions into stock market investments to bankroll their retirement.

That opposition is dragging down overall public support — particularly in places like Florida, where several Republicans who represent large numbers of Social Security beneficiaries have yet to back the Bush plan. White House strategists concede they can’t hope to win legislation this year unless they can convince seniors that they will not lose their benefits.