WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� With Republicans increasingly confident about victory in this year鈥檚 midterm elections, President Joe Biden dismissed the polls in a speech at Democratic Party headquarters Monday, saying there鈥檚 still time for 鈥渙ne more shift鈥� that will help his party.
鈥淚f we get people out to vote, we win,鈥� Biden said to scores of Democratic organizers who cheered and chanted as he entered the room for what he called his 鈥渃losing argument.鈥� Campaign workers around the country tuned in via livestream for the pep talk, delivered 15 days from Election Day.
The speech was Biden鈥檚 latest attempt to between Democrats and Republicans, rather than a referendum on his unpopular administration at a time of
Biden has largely steered clear of traditional campaign events around the country, in favor of speeches where he tries to frame the stakes for voters.
"The polls have been all over the place," Biden said, adding that surveys have become increasingly unreliable for measuring public opinion. "Republicans ahead, Democrats ahead, Republicans ahead. But it's going to close, I think, with seeing one more shift 鈥� Democrats ahead."
He said Republicans would roll back progress on expanding health care coverage, limiting the cost of prescription drugs and increasing taxes on corporations.
鈥淎t least they鈥檙e being honest this time,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e telling you exactly what they want to do if they win.鈥�
He added, 鈥淭hey鈥檙e so confident they鈥檙e going to win, they鈥檙e saying this without an ounce of shame.鈥�
He accused them of 鈥渕ega-MAGA, trickle-down politics in the extreme,鈥� the latest iteration of Biden's attempts to brand his political opponents. MAGA is short for Make America Great Again, former President Donald Trump's slogan.
As usual, Biden singled out three Republican leaders for much of his scorn 鈥� House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Sen. Rick Scott of Florida.
Scott, who leads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, has been Biden's most popular foil because of his proposal to require that all federal laws be reauthorized every five years. Democrats describe the idea as a clear threat to popular entitlement programs.
鈥淟et me be clear," Biden said. "I will not cut Social Security. I will not cut Medicare.鈥�
Biden stressed that the federal deficit has a rebuttal to Republicans who accuse him of being too loose with spending.
鈥淲e, the Democrats, are the ones that are fiscally responsible," he said. "Let鈥檚 get that straight now.鈥�
After his speech, Biden shook hands with Democratic workers and took selfies with several of them. As he walked out, they chanted 鈥渓et's go Joe!鈥�
___
Associated Press writer Colleen Long contributed to this report.
Chris Megerian, The Associated Press
