USA Today/Gallup Poll shows Obama more trusted on Medicare

Other polls indicate President Barack Obama is faring well in some swing states. GOP nominee Mitt Romney's campaign hopes to shift the focus to federal spending and Medicare issues as Obama and GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan speak today to the AARP. 

USA Today: Romney Fights On Medicare But Obama Retains Advantage
President Obama remains more trusted to address Medicare's challenges, the latest USA TODAY/Gallup Poll of Swing States shows, even as Mitt Romney challenged him over the issue Thursday in retiree-rich Florida (Page, 9/20).

The Wall Street Journal: Headwinds For Romney In Latest Poll Results
The three state surveys come amid a broader set of challenges for Mr. Romney, among them the release of his videotaped comments at a Florida fundraiser. The Romney campaign moved Thursday to shift its focus to federal spending and its proposal to overhaul Medicare, the popular health-care program for seniors and the disabled. Rep. Ryan speaks to seniors' lobby AARP in New Orleans on Friday. Mr. Obama will address the group by satellite (O'Connor and Hook, 9/20).

Politico: Paul Ryan To Hit 'Obamacare' At AARP
In a speech Friday to a powerful senior citizens' interest group, Paul Ryan will again go on the offense on Medicare, addressing an issue that many say is among his biggest liabilities on the GOP ticket. According to excerpts provided by the campaign ahead of his speech to the AARP national conference in New Orleans, Ryan will attack in detail President Barack Obama's health care plan, and argue that "the first step to a stronger Medicare is to repeal Obamacare" (Summers, 9/21).

CBS: Ryan To Challenge Obama On Medicare At AARP
Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, whose plans for Medicare are under attack by President Obama and other Democrats, will promise an honest conversation on entitlements in a speech at an AARP conference Friday in New Orleans, just after Obama addresses the group by satellite. "You're right to worry that years of empty promises by both political parties are threatening the security of your golden years. And you're right to demand honest answers from those asking for your vote. Mitt Romney and I share your concerns," Ryan will tell the say, according to excerpts of his speech. "And we respect you enough to level with you. We respect all the people of this country enough to talk about the clear choices we face on Medicare, Social Security, the economy, and the kind of country our children will inherit" (Kaplan, 9/21).

CNN: Paul Ryan To Seniors: Obamacare Threatens Medicare
In a speech to seniors on Friday, Republican vice presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan will warn them about the threat of Obamacare when he appears at the AARP conference after President Barack Obama addresses the group via satellite. Mitt Romney's running mate will speak at the AARP Life@50+ conference, held in New Orleans, at 12:30 p.m. ET. President Barack Obama is scheduled to speak live, via satellite, at 11:45 a.m. ET. Members of AARP – a nonprofit organization and a powerful lobbying group that boasts of having more than 37 million members – were encouraged to submit questions to the nominees on their website (Shepard, 9/21).

The Associated Press: Obama Medicare Plan: No Voucher But Maybe A Bill
He'll never turn Medicare into a voucher, but if you are lucky enough to be financially comfortable in retirement, odds are you'll pay higher premiums under President Barack Obama's plan. It's not just the 1 percent who'll feel the pinch. And take note, baby boomers: The Medicare you get won't be quite as generous as what your parents' generation enjoys. A higher deductible here, a new co-payment there, and the tweaks add up (Alonso-Zaldivar, 9/20).