"Simply denying that this administration has underestimated the threat is unlikely to convince Americans who see the manifest failures of the United States government to address a systemic problem."

Environmentalists and many residents are unconvinced, saying that the administration has oversold the promise of factory jobs and tax revenue and underestimated the environmental cost.

Surely the administration has underestimated the ability of the electorate to see through such opportunistic patriotism.

Joseph J. Lhota, the Deputy Mayor for Operations, said the administration purposefully underestimates revenues every year in hopes of creating a surplus.

But the liberal Economic Policy Institute said the administration had deliberately underestimated the number, predicting that eight million workers would lose eligibility.

"The administration underestimated the scale of the commission's work and the full breadth of support required," they said.

Ms. Ignagni said the administration had underestimated the problem for two years, but now "shows a growing recognition of its urgency."

In making his tax-increase proposals today, he blamed Mr. DiPrete, saying the earlier administration had overestimated revenue and consistently underestimated spending.

"I think the administration underestimated the strength of the resistance in the post-war planning."

Some analysts asserted that the administration had underestimated the effect of the civil unrest in Venezuela and should have begun pressing for an OPEC production increase weeks ago.