Social Security partisans winning the battle of Staten Island?

The Staten Island Advance is reporting that Congressman Vito Fossella (R) of Staten Island is distancing himself from President Bush on phasing out Social Security.

Former phase-out man Fosella is saying no way to 'progressive indexing' (aka 'huge cuts for everyone but the working poor'). And while he says he's not against all private accounts, he's not ready to support President Bush's private accounts.

Perhaps this has something to do with the Empty Chair townhall meeting the In This Together campaign held a while back in Fossella's district or the 'Where's Vito' lawn signs they've been putting up around the area to get him to come clean on where he stands on phasing out Social Security.