(AP) Obama says he wants to preserve Medicare
WASHINGTON
President Barack Obama says the Medicare program is about keeping promises to millions of seniors who have put in a lifetime of hard work.

Obama is using Saturday's radio and Internet address to discuss a surging campaign issue. He says his goal is to strengthen Medicare and preserve the program for future generations.

Obama makes no mention of Republican rival Mitt Romney but says Republicans in Congress would turn Medicare into a voucher program that wouldn't keep up with costs. The GOP ticket has accused Obama of cutting more than $700 billion from Medicare to pay for his health care law.

In the Republican address, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky says the nation is being hurt by "the looting of the Treasury and 20 years of deficit spending."

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Online:

Obama address: www.whitehouse.gov

GOP address: http://www.youtube.com/gopweeklyaddress