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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Speaking to a boisterous crowd at a retirement community here, President Obama played the seasoned campaign veteran, unbowed by his opponent Mitt Romney’s negative ads even as the two trade barbs over each other's records and rhetoric.
“Frankly, I'd be worried if this were my first campaign. But I've been to this rodeo before,” Obama told a crowd of 675 at the Century Village retirement community on Thursday.
He joked that the crowd should just mute the negative TV ads inundating this crucial swing state, and acknowledged that their visual impact wouldn’t be too appealing either.
“Some of the pictures of me will be unflattering. Now, my face is all distorted, one eye's all droopy,” he said, imitating what some of the images in the ads would look like. “Right? I'm looking all grim,” he continued as the crowd roared with laughter.
The group of seniors and their family members, packed into a low-ceilinged clubhouse, was particularly rowdy, frequently shouting words of encouragement over the president and breaking into chants of “four more years!” whenever he paused.
The president seemed to feed off the crowd, especially after he made his way to the podium having waded through a crowd of senior women who were particularly excited to see him.
“That’s the most kisses I’ve gotten at any campaign event!” he said as he reached the stage.
Later, as an audience member’s phone rang, the president joked that it was his wife Michelle calling because she heard he was getting so much affection at the event.
Obama tailored his speech to fit this crowd, hitting similar notes as he did earlier at an event in Jacksonville - criticizing Romney’s plans for Medicare (he says Romney’s changes would cost seniors up to $6,400 more) but also appealing to the group’s strong support for Israel.
He condemned the “barbaric” terrorist attack in Bulgaria that killed five Israelis.
“I know a lot of people in this community care about the state of Israel. And we are heartbroken,” he said of the bombing.
He added that the rapid changes in the Middle East and the bloodshed in Syria meant that “now's the time to make sure we're doing everything we can to protect Israel's security.”
The president continues his campaign swing through Florida Friday with stops in Fort Myers and Orlando.
Leave a Comment:
Hey Seniors....500 Billion in cuts to medicare from Obama....
sorry the scarecrow tactics are not working
you are right only facts do moron
Who is Barry Soetoro?
Some guy who was born in Hawaii and moved to Indonesia for 5 or 6 years. He then went to the US got into Harvard and became a Community Organizer in Chicago,then a State Senator,then a US Senator. Now he is President of the US.
Watermoon, go here to get your answer:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/birthers/occidental.asp
slodon, I caught your SALUTE on the other thread and returned it. Let's be cool from here on out. Affirm?
President Obama did not steal $500 billion from medicare. You do need to stop getting your news from Michele Bachman. Are these scare tactics still working? Here you go, actual facts.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/sep/12/michele-bachmann/did-president-obama-steal-500-billion-medicare/
"The bill doesn't take money out of the current Medicare budget but, rather, it attempts to slow the program's future growth, curtailing just over $500 billion in anticipated spending increases over the next 10 years."
Because slowing the growth of the medicare budget is so bad, amirite? You may want to avoid calling people names, especially when you are the one looking foolish.
Clotho
Kind of interest wouldn't you say what you posted consider that the full benefit package of Obamacare won't mature until the year 2024.
So as Medicare gets stripped of its funding over the next ten years, the Seniors will get stuck paying ever increasing costs for policies that they are mandated to purchase by Obamacare.
And even then, according to Obamacare, if its determined that the policy holders health care services and treatment aren't worth the expenditure to the insurance company, they will be denied those services, treatments and get death counseling for free so they can determine how best to end their own lives.
That's something to support until a death counselor knocks on your door.
thats what we know of will probably be more
Abolish Medicare and Medicaid!! Help end socialism now
- Mitt Romney 2012
thats why Romney will not win
Seniors will pay the highest insurance premium when Obama ends Medicare and throws them all into the Obamacare pot.
sorry you cant defend what he just said the truth
Romney isn't gonna mess with the seniors' Medicare, he knows better.
yes he is..and you know that
"We've shown 'these people' all we need to show them." --Ann Romney
The 21st century version of "let them eat cake."
no - that would be more like mooshell obama taking another million dollar vacation on the taxpayers backs
German Gem
The first thing health insurance companies did after Obama signed Obamacare into law was to raise their rates straight across the board on everybody including Medicare.
Now that the Health insurance companies can levy a tax on the middle class, is there any doubt what they will do with this power?
They been screwing the people of this country from the time they created the health care crisis in the seventies and now have the power to really stick it to everyone.
If you lap this up you deserve what you get
Romney is a President who is only point of being elected is to destroy benefits.a corporations President for one term only..he just needs one term...after that..he will still be a billionaire ..while the rest of us burn?
if only we could mute Obummer and his lies
Not all of Obama's words are lies. If you want to read a speech where Obama's own words condemn him as a failed leader, just read post #43
thats what the tea party is a one term of corporations people ..thats all they need
That's the advantage Obama has over Romney. Obama is a real human being.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hsquKMi5Ec
If people take BHO's suggestion and mute negative ads, they won't hear any of Obama's ads. Every Obama ad I've seen ends with "Romney's not the solution. He's the problem."
Oh boo hoo hoo rightie. That Obama, he's soooo negative, lol, bout time you scumbags got a taste of your own medicine.
Who is Barry Soetoro?
Some guy who was born in Hawaii and moved to Indonesia for 5 or 6 years. He then went to the US got into Harvard and became a Community Organizer in Chicago,then a State Senator,then a US Senator. Now he is President of the US.
Watermoon, go here to get your answer:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/birthers/occidental.asp
slodon, I caught your SALUTE on the other thread and returned it. Let's be cool from here on out. Affirm?
Roger Bruce.
Salute
Vote Romney in November.
No
No! Don't think so. No votes for Romney here. Sorry!
99 percent of Americans are the select group President Obama panders to.
Willard panders to the other one percent.
Seniors don't matter under Obamacare, so why should they matter to Obama now?
Oh, that's right, he wants their votes. He has to lure them to vote for him while they're still alive.
He knows he's already got their votes after they're dead.
I still cannot believe that people do not see that Obama is a flaming Socialist. He has no care for Israel. He cares for the Muslims. And he wants to destroy this country. His goals were learned from his father, Wright, Soros, and all the other socialists, and Acorn is a Socialist Breeding Camp that is to promote voter fraud, and keep this country heading towards Socialism. Wake up people. Obama has no track record. Romney has accomplished more than Obama. Did you democrats criticize Kennedy for his wealth, or Kerry for his. Have Obama release his college records and leave Romney's tax records alone. They are nothing compared to the economic problems caused by Obama's failed programs.
Chai, this is a really dumb comment.
1. Why would Democrats criticize two of their own Democrat candidates? Kennedy (actually John, Bobby and Ted) were solidly backed up by the party, and Kerry was as well. Democrats have loyalty and integrity amongst their own.
2. None on either side are currently criticizing Romney because of his wealth. They are questioning his INTEGRITY, because he is hiding his Tax Returns. And in this case prominent Republicans are questioning Romney's integrity more than any Democrat.
Poor Obama. The Jews are smart enough to remember how you dissed the Israeli delegation at the White House and how you love the barbaric mooslem states. How's that mooslem brohood thing working out for ya, dumbass? BTW: you already lost Florida no matter how your msnbc propaganda machine tries to spin it for ya.
Florida is considered a swing state in this election. President Obama could win it. Of all the states listed in the GOP column right now, Florida is the weakest and could go Blue!
Republicans that post on this vine the the most ill informed Americans that ever lived. Or are they paid trolls? Either way they make me laugh at their outlandish arguments based on lies and distortion. And now they defend Israel as if it belongs to them. Like they give a crap about Jews. Oh Please, just look at the mess Bush left the middle east in, and not a single word was uttered of his failures. Oh, that's right, pretend it never happened.
Those seniors won't be chanting when the realities of Obamacare punch them in the face. They'll be cursing Obama and Obamacare with a rage that will be hard to control. So how do I know this? That easy to answer. Obama explained it all in the following speech.
The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can't pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government's reckless fiscal policies.
The above is now a reality!
And the cost of our debt is one of the fastest growing expenses in the Federal budget. This rising debt is a hidden domestic enemy, robbing our cities and States of critical investments in infrastructure like bridges, ports, and levees; robbing our families and our children of critical investments in education and health care reform; robbing our seniors of the retirement and health security they have counted on.
The above is now a reality!
Every dollar we pay in interest is a dollar that is not going to investment in America's priorities. Instead, interest payments are a significant tax on all Americans–a debt tax that Washington doesn't want to talk about. If Washington were serious about honest tax relief in this country, we would see an effort to reduce our national debt by returning to responsible fiscal policies.
The above is now a reality!
Increasing America's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that "the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.
Your damn right Obama, we do deserve better leadership!
I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America's debt limit. Side note: Obama has raised the debt ceiling to $16.7 trillion and is pushing the National Debt close to $16 trillion.
Sen. Barack Hussein Obama, Jr., (Senate – March 16, 2006)
This is the speech every American should be throwing back in Obama's face for not heeding his own words of warning.
I find the first paragraph ironic. obama "unbowed". He bows to dictators. Can you nbc writers ever tell the truth about this guy and not laud him all the time. obama is killing the country. He cut $500 Billion from Medicare but you never talk about that. You just kiss obamas a$$.
You should stop trying to spew your pathetic idiocies, those 500B are not cuts from Medicare and you know it, but what's the truth to you and your ilk, f@@@ing moron.
Rasputin
Well if Obama didn't take $500 billion from Medicare than why did he say he did it? He needed it for Obamacare is the reason he gave for taking the money from Medicare.
Of course, it didn't hurt the for Profit health insurance companies, they just raised their rated for Medicare coverage.
Thanks for demonstrating your just another uninformed Obama supporter who doesn't even bother to read or listen to the man you support speeches.
What those seniors at that center don't realize is that Obama has pushed each of those seniors share of the national debt to over $50,000.00 each. That $50K might be pocket change for a man like Obama who is worth at least $10 million, but it could mean the difference between life and death for those seniors.
Gee, I wonder why Obama didn't mention that to them in his speech?
Please give links to your claims that seniors have a $50K debt. You make a claim I don't think you can support.
BTW: Every middle class citizen has lost their value by more than 30% thanks to the "Great Depression". All caused by the GOP's deregulation of wall street.
But the obama man walks into any room of retired seniors with the upper hand. Mr grover, the gop, & the rushbo only answer to the people who pay hundreds of millions into their super pac and socialistic welfare organizations like karl rover's. With mr grover, the gop, & the rushbo, money talks. Money is not everything, it is the only thing.
The only question you need ask if you are a senior is did you give mr grover, the gop, or the rushbo a hundred million or more this year. It's the only valid question. All other questions to them are meaningless.
marshal
Do you know what the difference between Obama and Rush L is besides both of them getting paid as entertainers?
Obama's own words not only condemn him as a failed leader (post #43) but also condemn him as being irresponsible.
Let's look at the report card for mr grover, the gop, & the rushbo for the last 10 years.
Look at their report card for the last decade.
Economy - (F)AIL
Afghanistan - (F)AIL
Iraq - (F)AIL
Environment - (F)AIL
Energy - (F)AIL
Medical Care - (F)AIL
Deficit - (F)AIL
Immigration - (F)AIL
Bin laden - (F)AIL
Gadhafi - (F)AIL
Transfer of wealth from the poor & feeble to those of incomes greater than $2B/year. Cut off food stamps & medical care for the poor. - (A)XCELLENT
With mr grover, the gop, & the rushbo - the rich get richer, poor poorer, the middle class disappearing.
For you Obama supporters who missed this Obama speech, if you can't comprehend the English Language, if you cut and then paste it to a file for printing and take it to your local library, they will be happy to explain its meaning for you. That way you can understand Obama's own words condemning himself as an irresponsible president.
Hey Obama, you're pushing the National debt close to $16 trillion. I would like to ask you a few questions?
Don't you think that's a little irresponsible? Don't you think its your job to get spending under control? Do you want to leave your children and our children with a debt they can never repay?
Obama's answer in a nut shell.
In February 2009, Democratic President Barack Obama stated:
I refuse to leave our children with a debt that they cannot repay. And that means taking responsibility right now, in this administration, for getting our spending under control.
Side note; Obama is pushing the national debt close to $16 trillion with his out of control borrowing and spending.
"Remarks at the Fiscal Responsibility Summit." By Barack Obama. Government
Printing Office, February 23, 2009. http://www.gpoaccess.gov/presdocs/2009/DCPD200900102.htm
Could it be any clearer, Obama condemns himself as an irresponsible leader. You have to be a moron to support him. After all, he is running the "my own words condemn me as a failure leader" campaign for reelection.
But i tell you. Don't take my word for it. The romney man does not care for the middle class. Look at his former employees in the gop video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt-jrbeWbXo
Those employees will tell you that they used be in the middle class when the romney owned company bane first came to town. And now the gop, mr grover, & the rusbo is taking away their food stamps and plan on cutting their social security & medicare. It's all the romney former employees have left.
Marshal
Under Obama's leadership 46% of all Americans are living in or at the edge of Poverty. The the actual unemployment rate is between 18% and 25%.
Many major retailer are closing stores to save off closing their doors for good. Many small and medium companies and business are closing all across this country. All you have to do is open your eyes when you drive through your local area.
State, counties, townships, villages, and school districts are in financial difficulty.
Our Constitutional Government was going to shut down on August 2, 2011 because Obama couldn't borrow any more money to keep it operating.
That is what Obama has done and his own words condemn him for doing it. Just read the two Obama speeches I've posted on here if you don't believe me.
Since you don't know what Romney will do if elected just like we didn't know Obama was going to turn out to be the worse President in this country's history, you make yourself look like the fool you are for saying Romney will do this or he'll do that.
Obama has pushed the national debt close to $16 trillion and he still borrowing and spending. When he can't borrow anymore our Constitutional government will shut down. Obama will declare Marshal law and suspend congress. The US will no longer exist as a democratic republic.
That is the future of this country if Obama gets reelected. Its what he's been working towards. Why esle would he be creating a debt that can't be repaid by his children or their childrens children?
Bush and his GOP policies had nothing to do with this situation right? You're nuts my extreme right friend.
Change the subject Obama is at it again. BHO can't campaign on his performance record, so (this time) he resorts to humor. Wonder why Obama did not bring up has 500,000,000.00 reduction in Medicare under his ObamaTaxCare? Wonder why BHO failed the additional $500 billions in cuts if sequestration kicks in. Wonder why BHO did no talk about the huge tax increases under ObamaTaxCare? However, I am surprised that Obama did not brag about him being the Six Trillion Dollar man. (As opposed to Dick Austin, the 6 million dollar man).
This is from the Cavalier:
When Obama is re-elected I'll take my chances on what we get. We already watched the whole Bush movie. It sucked. Since Romney has pretty much cannibalized the Bush team, we know what we would get: Bush, the sequel. When are sequels ever better? And he wants a VP like Cheney.
What is the deal with republicans? They have the worst short term memory problems. First, there's the hero, Reagan. Everyone remember the bumbling arms for hostage’s debacle? How about illegally selling IRAN weapons to illegally fund a rebel group in Central America? His fumbling, "I don't remember," to every question? The lousy job growth from '80 to '88? Taking the deficit from 600 million to over 2 billion to fight the USSR, which was falling apart the whole time, and lying to America about their capabilities?
Let's move on. HW had a brain, at least, but he only served 1 term, because he knew he had to raise taxes. Too bad, since he was the only republican to successfully prosecute a war since Abraham Lincoln.
Clinton, despite stupidly allowing regulations like G/S to be scrapped, at least left us with a net surplus.
Dubya promptly spent that surplus, well before 9/11. We were already in a deep recession before the attack, which made it worse, and he did nothing to create jobs for 99% of the country. During that 8 years, I watched wages drop for everyone I knew. As I said, that movie sucked.
Obama has managed to fix the economy so well, that we never got the regulations we needed - the panic after the great depression pushed lawmakers to put those in place, and we just never got that bad.
Yeah, I'll take my chances, and as for the republicans, lies and name calling are really their whole playbook, so no one should be surprised when they come here and post their whole playbook.
They are desperate.
Repubs are desparate indeed. Not 1 mention on what their candidate brings to the table (because he has nothing and I can undersatnd that) and all the name calling and the negative Obama stuff is all they have to run on. Sorry. I can feel ya repubs but I can't reach ya. No vote for IstandfornothingMittens here.
maybe as a farewell gift to obama the usa can buy 1 way tickets to kenya for him and his gorilla looking wife?
Hate only hurts itself people.