President Obama Stumping For Votes In Florida
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - President Barack Obama kicked off a two day campaign swing through Florida on Thursday.
With recent polls suggesting the race between Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney are neck and neck, the campaign stops took on an even more important feel.
The President focused his speeches in West Palm Beach and Jacksonville on the economy, as he tried to draw a distinction with Romney over who is better positioned to grow jobs, protect the middle class and pay down the debt.
Obama argued that, if elected, Romney would favor tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.
"When everybody has opportunity then everybody does well, including those at the top," Obama told a packed ballroom at Century Village. "That's how we became the most prosperous nation on earth. That's how we built the greatest middle class in history."
Obama also warned that, if elected, Romney would gut Medicare, turning it into a voucher program and costing seniors - like many in the audience -- thousands of dollars a year.
"It's wrong to ask you to pay more for Medicare so that people who are doing well right now get even more," Obama said.
Romney fired back Thursday from Massachusetts, saying the President hasn't met with his Jobs Council in months and is more focused on his re-election than on creating jobs.
"The job he's interested in protecting is his own," Romney said. "The job that should be protected is the job of men and women in this country who want to get jobs."
The crowd Thursday responded with shouts of agreement throughout the President's speech, prompting the President to remark, "This is kind of a wild crowd here."
Afterwards, many in the crowd spoke of their strong support of the President's plan to revive the economy.
WEB EXTRA: President Barack Obama Addresses Supporters In West Palm Beach
"I like the fact that he talked about building a middle class out rather than trickle down economics," said Kathy Kraft.
"He's got American's back," said Michael McCarthy. "Romney is just an empty suit."
As the president appealed to swing voters and independents he argued that electing Romney would be a return to policies of the past that wreaked havoc on the economy.
"There are a group of folks who want us to go backwards," Obama said. "I don't believe in going backwards. I believe in going forwards."
The President will spend Thursday night in Palm Beach County then head to Fort Myers and Orlando for campaign events on Friday.
