Biden levels charges against GOP ticket over entitlements
Tamarac, Florida (CNN) - Vice President Joe Biden launched a new line of attacks on Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan on Friday, dismissing the Republican vice presidential nominee as "that guy" and asking an audience who it would believe on the critical issue of Medicare.
Romney's campaign described the attacks as false and warned they would backfire.
- Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
- Check out the CNN Electoral Map and Calculator and game out your own strategy for November.
Biden's charges came on the first of a two-day swing in Florida. The vice president rallied supporters at two events Friday, in Boca Raton and Tamarac. Both events were well attended by seniors - a crucial voting bloc in Florida who, polls show, favor Romney over President Barack Obama.
Biden, who will attend a Saturday morning rally in Fort Myers, Florida, told his audiences that Romney's economic plan could hit seniors with more taxes to their Social Security benefits.
"The beneficiaries, who will be getting in the future, will be getting considerably less in Social Security payment," the vice president said.
"Instead of dealing with a balanced approach, how to keep these programs in place, they've decided what you do is you shift all the costs to the recipients. As the president pointed out, their plan on Social Security, the one they have now, would raise taxes on your social security."
Biden continued: "Right now, the majority of seniors over 50 pay zero income tax on their social security benefit. You have another group that pays no more than half - income tax on half of that. And you have another group that pays income tax on 15%. Well, if Governor Romney's plan goes into effect, it could mean that everyone, every one of you would be paying more taxes on your Social Security. The average senior would have to pay $460 a year more in taxes for their Social Security."
The Romney campaign responded quickly to Biden's claims.
"Vice President Biden is using Social Security to fabricate the Obama campaign's latest false attacks," spokesman Ryan Williams said in a statement. "However, these attacks will backfire when voters learn he has repeatedly supported higher Social Security taxes, and that seniors face a 25% across-the-board benefit cut because of President Obama's failure to lead on this issue."
"Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have a plan to save and strengthen Social Security that does not raise taxes and ensures that our middle-class seniors receive all of the benefits they've earned."
The Romney campaign referred reporters to a 1993 vote Biden cast over a budget resolution that raised taxes on seniors making as little as $34,000.
Meanwhile, Biden continued his recent assault on his opponents' plans for Medicare.
At one point, the vice president chided reporters. It happened as the vice president spoke about Ryan's first budget proposal revealed in the spring of 2011.
"(The Congressional Budget Office) said the plan, the first plan - that the press somehow thinks it's unfair for us to talk about - would raise the cost for every senior by $6,400 a year," Biden said.
"Well, the press accurately points out, they accurately say, 'You know what? They changed that plan. So why do you keep bringing it up?' Well the reason I bring it up, I think it's fair to bring it up. If Congressman Ryan felt so strongly about insisting that this plan become law, and if Gov. Romney said he would've signed it into law … then it goes to their motive. It goes to who you believe."
"So now they tell you that this new plan they have isn't going to cost seniors any money," Biden said. "Who are you going to believe? Are you going to believe somebody who was willing and knowingly to increase the cost to you, for your Medicare by $6,400 a year and now is willing to increase your cost if you're 50 years old when the, by the time you'll be eligible by $60,000? Are you going to believe the guy - that guy - when he says, 'No, no, no, no. I'm not going to affect Medicare at all.' Or are you going to believe me?"
I believe ther is a woman from Chicago on u-tube who has a video Biden should see- The democrats are the party of the unsophisticated and over sophisticated
If you believe anything Biden says, you are eithert brain dead or very stupid.
Yep, Romney and Ryan have a plan alright. Cut social security and medicare benefits to finance even more tax cuts for the rich. They apparently think all Americans are mind dead Fox News addicts who have to be given their opinion by news commentors.
Well here is what billionaire George Soros said about Romney: "I'm appalled by the Romney campaign, which is openly soliciting the money of the rich to starve the state of the money it needs to provide social services." So, I certainly don't believe the Romney campaign. After all, Romney thinks it fair that he pays a lower percentage in taxes on his 25 million dollars per year income than someone who makes 50K a year.
Man the only thing worst than Obama as president for 4 more years is if something happened to him and Biden became president.
Typical democrat scare politics. Their version of yelling fire in a crowded theater to see how many people they can panic into voting for them without thinking. Every election cycle it's the same thing go around spreading a bunch of half truths and outright lies to scare seniors and the liberal media dutifully reports them as truths to increase the scare factor.
Make no mistake, Romney/Ryan are no friends of seniors, or anyone else for that matter. All one needs to do is listen to their rhetoric. Vouchercare is their plan and everyone needs to fully understand that. They want to do away with Medicare and Social Security. Even Romney is now backtracking on his Massachusetts health care law too. These two are not to be trusted and are truly dangerous for America.
That's a straight question.Are you going to believe flip-floping Romney/Ryan who plan to voucherise medicare,or are you going to believe Obama/Biden who want to protect medicare?Think twice.
I trust a bright young man over a senile used car sales man.
Please tell me did Ryan has a plan that he wanted to become law, that got voted on and pass, that Romney himself said he would signed. This same Romney pick Ryan as his candidate I assume because of what he done, mostly his plan. This is a validation of his the Ryan plan. Now you want to say you have a different plan that you have not yet crunch any numbers or given any details, and we suppose to say yes we understand. Tell me what about Ryan, where is his conviction on his plan. I am to understand the day you ask him to become VP he told you he no longer believe in his plan that he do diliigently work on. Did he ask why you pick him? Did it not have something to do with his plan. Oh Mitt can we have an honest conversation. It like when you keep saying that a company profits, which I admit you were good at equals Jobs. Yes it does but not Job in the US ovreseas yes. That has been happening for the last decade with most of our companies.Look at how well the bottom line has increase american companies while americas Jobs are in decline. Do you think we can figure that out, or maybe we can't.
That guy bans your SS, MIDCARE, ships JOBS to CHINA, that guy stashes money in CAYMAN ISLANDS...... List goes on .....
It's hard to believe Lyin' Ryan on any issue. He's a pathological liar and even the partially true things he says have distortions and misleading elements buried within. His "under three hours" marathon claim said a lot about the man but his Medicare lies are more calculated.
Considering that Ryan pretty much told the AARP that if elected, he and Mitt will change Social Security to a 401K and Medicare to a voucher system, I would say that Joe is on the mark.
Biden continues to manufacture false accusations, to cover up what the Democrats are really doing.......NOTHING!
I'd believe you first and always, Vice President Biden .. because I've watched the Republican leaders, and those two that are running for President and Vice President against you and President Obama. I've watched and listened .. and stay constantly confused by how many times both of them, especially Mitt Romney, have changed their mind about so many things. You don't change your mind, but stay steady in your beliefs, your honor. I will stay with you and our President .. four more years!
G.W.Bush wanted to privatize Social Security After 2008 financial meltdown voters believe democrats protected the Social Security
Joe Biden has never used his public service to line his own pockets. He really does care about the country as a whole. When he talks I listen and I believe him.
Romney the multiple choice candidate can just go back to his video and see where he'd change Medicare,SocialSecurity ,does he want us to show him and put both of them in their place,I think not,total liars and hypocrites as well!!Ask STENCH about the voter fraud found in Florida with a company he hired recently,one found shredding voters ballots back in Bushs two elections,nice company you keep Romney,getting real desperate I see!!
I saw a Romney/Ryan bumper sticker on a car driven by an older women. She had strategically placed it next to her "End Socialism Now" bumper sticker. Won't she be happy when she gets her voucher for medicare, or loses her medicaid, in the event the birther candidate wins?