Obama Criticizes Romney, GOP on Medicare

In a state where polls show Mitt Romney in a dead heat with President Barack Obama, the president is warning the state's seniors that Romney will cost them money by turning Medicare into a voucher program.

It's the first of two days of campaigning for Obama in Florida.

A House GOP plan -- backed by Romney -- would change Medicare from a fee-for-service plan into one where future retirees buy insurance using government subsidies. Republicans argue it would introduce competition and give seniors more choices.

Romney, meanwhile, is continuing to focus on the sluggish economic recovery under Obama's watch -- pointing to the latest numbers showing a jump in first-time jobless claims last week.

Romney also repeated his criticism of Obama's statement last week that "If you've got a business, you didn't build that." Romney says Obama should visit businesses to really see who is responsible for creating them.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)