"And he has been its guardian ever since," the Democratic leader said Tuesday.

But with the popular program mired in partisan politics, the Utah Republican is finding it difficult to fulfill this guardianship role.

The House will try Thursday to override President Bush's veto of a CHIP expansion bill, which would cost $35 billion and cover a total of 10 million children.

Hatch helped create that bipartisan bill. He has personally called and lobbied House Republicans who voted against it.

"This is a very important fight, but it is pretty difficult to get them to change their votes," he said.

Pelosi said she heard "a couple" of representatives may switch sides, but she is not predicting victory.

That hasn't stopped a host of last ditch efforts to pressure House Republicans.

Pelosi, Hatch and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., participated in a news conference turned pep rally for CHIP sponsored by Easter Seals and the Children's Health Fund.

For the past 20 years, the nonprofit health fund has sent medical teams in buses to impoverished areas of 13 states and Washington, D.C. Musician Paul Simon helped start the program and during Tuesday's news conference he said Bush's veto of CHIP ''appears to be a heartless act.''

Pelosi called it ''cruel.''

Hatch was more reserved in his criticism.

''I love the president. I think he is a fine man. I think he is a compassionate man, but I think he is wrong on this issue,'' Hatch said.

Pelosi has said she would need at least 14 Republicans to switch their votes. House Republican leaders say Democrats have no chance.

Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, supports the bill. GOP Reps. Rob Bishop and Chris Cannon oppose it.

If the veto override fails as expected, Hatch and his staffers believe they can help kick-start negotiations with the White House.

Bush originally wanted to expand CHIP by $5 billion. Hatch said that plan would cut the coverage from 800,000 children who are now in the program.

The president has since said he is willing to put more money into the program though he has not indicated how much.

Bush has questioned the size of the expansion, saying he fears it will encourage families to drop private coverage to join the government funded program.

CHIP covers children in families with incomes too great to enroll in Medicaid but who have difficulty paying for private insurance.

mcanham@sltrib.com