WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — President Joe Biden heads to Florida Thursday to make an advance visit in the home state of both Republican frontrunners for the White House, as he eyes a possible run in 2024.
Riding out the momentum from Tuesday night’s rowdy State of the Union address, Biden will likely issue the same warning on alleged threats to Social Security and Medicare to Florida’s many retirees.
Biden is looking to win over the state’s residents as Florida is home to former President Donald Trump, who has officially announced his campaign for 2024, and Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has not yet announced a run but is still widely thought to be exploring a White House bid.
He is expected to focus on an issue thought to have gotten consensus at the State of the Union: Neither party wants to cut Social Security or Medicare.
On national TV, the president recognized that moment of unanimity after boos, heckling and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.) calling Biden a liar for saying Republicans want to cut those programs.
But the same president who said he wants bipartisanship is going on the road, hammering his opposing party.
Biden continues to accuse Republicans of wanting to cut Social Security and Medicare despite GOP members very publicly saying that they don’t want those cuts.
“Look, a lot of Republicans, their dream is to cut Social Security and Medicare. Well, let me just say this: It’s your dream but with my veto pen, I’m going to make it a nightmare,” Biden said during a visit to Wisconsin, a swing state, on Wednesday.
The idea that Republicans want to sunset Social Security and Medicare comes from a proposed plan printed by Florida Sen. Rick Scott.
Republicans like Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) have at different times suggested reforming Social Security. But now, GOP leaders like Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said those reforms aren’t happening.
All spending cuts are on the table except Social Security and Medicare.
But Biden is still choosing to use this as ammunition against the GOP as he travels to Florida, where the White House said he will recommit to protecting these programs that are very popular in the state.
The president is expected to say, “For years, Republican members of Congress have repeatedly tried to cut medicare and social security, move toward privatizing one or both programs, and raise the Social Security retirement age and Medicare edibility age.”
This week is setting up to look like a soft launch for 2024, although the White House still won’t comment on whether the president saying he’s “not finished yet” means he wants two more years or six.
