Joe Biden takes stage in Tampa with Medicare and Social Security on agenda
President Joe Biden took Air Force One to Tampa on Thursday to tout the accomplishments of his administration and to try to convince Floridians that he is the leader who will help reduce healthcare costs in the state with the highest percentage of seniors in the country.
In a likely preview of messaging for his yet-tobe-announced reelection campaign, Biden made his case for why he wants to “finish the job” on several of his priorities. The policyheavy speech in a small, packed room at the University of Tampa’s Plant Hall borrowed much of its material from his State of the Union.
The focus of his visit, which was an official
White House event rather than a political one, was primarily to discuss his plans on healthcare and to protect Social Security and Medicare programs against what he said are threats from Republicans.
He mentioned Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis once, when he criticized the state’s refusal to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act so that more people would be eligible for its benefits.
DeSantis has also not yet announced his intentions for 2024 but is expected to run for president. (Former President Donald Trump, a Palm Beach resident, announced his bid in November.)
Biden’s speech at the University of Tampa only allowed for an audience of roughly 100 people plus reporters.
Biden doubled down Thursday on a line of
attack that he had raised during his State of the Union speech about a plan released by U.S. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida. Scott’s proposal, which many other Republicans have not fully endorsed, called for all federal legislation to have to be re-passed every five years to avoid expiring.
Before Thursday’s event began, staff distributed pamphlets made to look like miniature versions of Scott’s plan, with the piece on sunsetting legislation circled in red. Biden read directly from the pamphlet at the lectern and mentioned Scott multiple times by name, adding that even though Medicare would likely survive reauthorization, “it’s likely to get cut significantly” if it came
up for a vote.
“The very idea a senator from Florida wants to put Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block every five years I find to be somewhat outrageous,” Biden said.
Since the State of the Union, Scott has been making the rounds on TV to push back against Biden and has said any suggestion that he wants to cut Social Security or Medicare “is a lie.”
The president’s event, part of a national “blitz” by the Biden administration, comes at a time when Florida’s status as the country’s largest and most unpredictable swing state has waned. It turned deep red in 2022 when Floridians reelected DeSantis
by a landslide 19 points, and Republican voterregistration numbers have solidly surpassed Democrats for the first time in state history.
But the president’s visit gave a sense of solidarity to some Florida Democrats, who have generally been demoralized and leaderless since their catastrophic 2022 results.
“Florida, it’s different every election season, and it’s worth fighting for,” said U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, who traveled with the president on Air Force
One. “I’m heartened that he’s here.”