Console shift button pushes too hard

The button you need to push in to put the car in gear on my 98 Conti (console shift) is difficult to push in especially on cold mornings. I mean it is literally a two hand job when it is cold. Even when it is warm out there is a pop when it is depressed. I am afraid of breaking something. I took the console apart and I could not see where it is binding and I sprayed the contact points with WD 40. I thought it might be the switch on the brake, but if I understand correctly, I wouldn't be able to push the button in at all if that was bad. I thought it might be the transmission binding when there is weight on it, but using the parking brake doesn't do any good either. Any suggestions?