周四，乔·拜登总统前往佛罗里达州坦帕市，继续他的后国情咨文闪电战在选举战场的州，主张他会保护医疗保险和社会保障同时声称包括佛罗里达州参议员里克·斯科特在内的一些共和党人希望削减这些受欢迎的项目。
“听着，我知道很多共和党人，他们的梦想是削减社会保障和医疗保险。好吧，让我这么说:如果那是你的梦想，我就是你的噩梦，”拜登在坦帕大学说。
拜登在周二晚上的国情咨文中再次加入了所谓的“激烈辩论”，当时他说“一些共和党人”希望削减社会保障和医疗保险，以帮助平衡国家预算，这引起了共和党成员的愤怒，包括一些人称他为“骗子”。
但是，拜登指出，作为12点经济计划的一部分，斯科特建议每五年取消包括社会保障和医疗保险在内的所有联邦立法，就是否应该继续和以何种水平提供资金进行投票。斯科特的12点建议的副本，以及拜登保护这些项目的计划，被放在他周四在退休人员丰富的州发表演讲的椅子上。
尽管拜登在周二晚上选择不点名这些共和党人，但在回忆起会议厅中的争议时刻时，他已经连续两天叫出了参议员的名字。
“我提醒他们，佛罗里达州的里克·斯科特，去年为共和党人管理参议院竞选委员会的家伙，有一个日落的计划——也许他已经改变了主意，也许他已经看到了上帝——但他想日落。这意味着如果你不重新授权，它就会消失，”拜登解释说。“这位来自佛罗里达州的参议员想要每五年将社会保障和医疗保险放在砧板上的想法，我觉得有点令人愤慨。”
总统再次发誓要否决任何对社会保障和医疗保险的潜在削减，因为他身后显示着“保护和加强医疗保险”和“降低美国家庭的成本”等短语。
我知道，对于国会中的许多共和党人来说，他们的梦想是削减社会保障和医疗保险。好吧，我这么说吧。如果那是你的梦，我就是你的噩梦。
—拜登总统(@POTUS)2023年2月9日
欢迎来到佛罗里达，@Joebiden。既然你无法停止谈论我，并在社会保障和医疗保险问题上对佛罗里达人撒谎，我相信你会接受我的邀请来讨论这个问题。我今晚会回佛罗里达。你选择时间和地点。
—里克·斯科特(@森里斯科特)2023年2月9日
与此同时，斯科特表示，拜登正在“扭曲他的话”，并在周四早些时候在美国有线电视新闻网(CNN)上反驳总统，声称他无意削减医疗保险和社会保障。
“他已经彻底失败了，”斯科特谈到拜登时说，“现在他在想做什么的问题上撒谎，我不喜欢这样。”
斯科特也是发微博周四在拜登那里，两人在佛罗里达州辩论这个问题。
为捍卫拜登的立场，白宫周四早些时候发布了一份文件，强调了共和党议员过去提议削减这些项目的评论。共和党领导人没有支持斯科特的计划，众议院议长凯文·麦卡锡表示，在与白宫就提高债务上限和削减开支进行的谈判中，社会保障和医疗保险“不在谈判桌上”。
Biden, in Florida, blasts what he calls GOP 'dream' to cut Social Security
President Joe Biden traveled to Tampa, Florida, on Thursday, continuing his post-State of the Union blitz in election battleground states, arguing that he would protect Medicare and Social Security while claiming some Republicans, including Florida's Sen. Rick Scott, want to cut the popular programs.
"Look, I know that a lot of Republicans, their dream is to cut Social Security and Medicare. Well let me say this: If that's your dream, I'm your nightmare," Biden said at the University of Tampa.
Biden once again leaned into what called the "spirited debate" at the State of the Union on Tuesday night, when he said "some Republicans" wanted to cut Social Security and Medicare to help balance the nation's budget, prompting outrage from GOP members, including some calling him a "liar."
But, Biden noted, Scott, as part of a 12-point economic plan, has proposed sunsetting all federal legislation, including Social Security and Medicare, every five years, putting them to a vote on whether they should continue and at what level of funding. Copies of Scott's 12-point proposal, as well as Biden's plan to protect the programs, were placed on chairs at his speech Thursday in the retiree-rich state.
While Biden chose not to name those Republicans on Tuesday night, he has since called out the senators by name for two days in a row when recalling the contentious moment in the chamber.
"I reminded them that Florida's own Rick Scott, the guy who ran the Senate Campaign Committee for Republicans last year, had a plan to sunset -- maybe he's changed his mind, maybe he's seen the Lord -- but he wanted to sunset it. Meaning if you don't reauthorize it, it goes away," Biden explained. "The very idea the senator from Florida wants to put Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block every five years I find to be somewhat outrageous."
The president again vowed to veto any potential cuts to Social Security and Medicare -- as the phrases "protect and strengthen Medicare" and "lowering costs for American families" were displayed behind him.
I know that for a lot of Republicans on the Hill their dream is to cut Social Security and Medicare.Well, let me say this.If that's your dream, I'm your nightmare.
— President Biden (@POTUS) February 9, 2023
Welcome to Florida, @Joebiden.Since you can't stop talking about me and lying to Floridians about Social Security and Medicare, I'm sure you'll accept my invitation to debate the issue. I'll be back in Florida tonight. You pick the time and place.
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) February 9, 2023
Scott, meanwhile, has said Biden was "twisting his words" and pushed back against the president on CNN earlier Thursday, claiming that he had no intention of cutting Medicare and Social Security.
"He's been a complete failure," Scott said of Biden, "And now he lies about whey want to get done, and I don't appreciate it."
Scott also tweeted at Biden Thursday, teasing that the pair debate the issue in Florida.
Defending Biden's position, the White House released a document earlier Thursday highlighting past comments from Republican lawmakers proposing cutting the programs. GOP leaders have not endorsed Scott's plan, with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy saying Social Security and Medicare are "off the table" in negotiations with the White House over raising the debt ceiling along with spending cuts Republicans want.
