President Obama began a two-day campaign swing through Florida yesterday — he will, however cut short his stay, canceling an event in Winter Park in light of the tragedy in Aurora — stressing an issue that has largely been in the background of late: Medicare.
President Obama opened a two-day campaign swing through Florida on Thursday as he tried to build support in this deadlocked battleground state by presenting his opponent, Mitt Romney, as a bad choice for older Americans.
After weeks of focusing on Mr. Romney’s private-sector business deals, Mr. Obama turned to another front by attacking Republican plans to repeal his health care law and transform Medicare into a voucher program. Democrats have long used Medicare as an issue to galvanize older voters in Florida against Republicans.
“He plans to turn Medicare into a voucher program,” Mr. Obama told supporters at a retirement community [in West Palm Beach]. “If the voucher isn’t worth what it takes to buy health insurance in the private marketplace, you’re out of luck, you’ve got to make up the difference, you’re on your own.”
This is a potent message for a few reasons. First, it’s true. Second, it resonates with nearly everyone, especially retirees in the Sunshine State, since Medicare is so wildly popular.
And third, it reinforces a larger message that’s critically important to the president’s election strategy. Note, for example, this line from yesterday’s remarks: “It’s wrong to ask seniors to pay more for Medicare just so millionaires and billionaires can pay less in taxes.”









