Biden warns GOP 'coming after' seniors' benefits in Florida midterms speech

Nov. 2 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden made an appeal to retired Americans during a campaign visit to Florida Tuesday, warning voters that the nation's Medicare and Social Security programs would be imperiled if Republicans win big at the polls during next week's midterm elections.

Biden stomped the Sunshine State as part of a final-stretch tour of the nation with only days to go before next week's critical ballot in which the GOP expects to regain control of Congress for the second half of his term.

Giving a speech in Miami Gardens, Biden took credit for recent legislation that cut prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients, saying the GOP would target the foundational benefits of older Americans.

"They're coming after your Social Security and Medicare, and they're saying it out loud," Biden told the crowd during his first campaign rally since early September.

The president then called attention to a recently approved 8.7% increase in Social Security benefits -- the largest uptick in 40 years -- which he vowed a fight to keep in place.

"The checks are going to go up and the Medicare fees are going to go down at the same time. And I promise you: I'll protect Social Security. I'll protect Medicare. I'll protect you."

During the waning days of the campaign, Biden has increasingly turned his focus to issues that affect older voters, who typically turn out in bigger numbers in the midterms.

The president continued to tout his landmark Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law in August, that capped out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Medicare patients, and limited the cost of insulin at $35 a month.

"We beat Big Pharma," Biden said Tuesday.

Still, Biden could be fighting an uphill battle as inflation and high prices have taken a toll on Americans all year, which might translate to a backlash at the polls.

Biden acknowledged the issues to another crowd at O.B. Johnson Park in Hallandale Beach, but he had to correct himself after misspeaking on a point about the causes of the country's economic pain.

"Inflation is a worldwide problem right now because of a war in Iraq and the impact on oil and what Russia is doing ... Excuse me, the war in Ukraine," he said before explaining: "I think of Iraq because that's where my son died."

Biden plans to crisscross the country for numerous campaign stops over the next six days. He's expected to appear in California, Maryland, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania -- where he'll join former President Barack Obama on Saturday to help shore up Lt. Gov. John Fetterman's campaign for Senate.

For now, Biden's itinerary does not include stops in some of the key battlegrounds like Arizona, Georgia and Ohio.

It was a busy first day of campaigning for the 79-year-old president, who also attended a "Get Out The Vote Rally" for Florida gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist at Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens. There, he was also joined by U.S. Rep. Val Demings, who is challenging Republican Marco Rubio for his Senate seat.

For months on the campaign trail, Biden has attempted to cast the GOP as becoming too radical for mainstream voters, even calling out "MAGA Republicans" for their continued support of former President Donald Trump and his false claims of winning the 2020 election.

Biden continued that theme at the Crist fundraiser, where he blasted Republicans for soft-pedaling the brutal hammer attack on Speaker Nancy Pelosi's spouse late last week.

"Look at the response of Republicans, making jokes about it," and brushing it aside, Biden said at the reception. "The guy purchases a hammer to kneecap" the U.S. Speaker of the House, Biden added, appearing flummoxed at the notion, then said of Republicans: "These guys are extremely extreme."