Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) was booed by the audience while pledging to repeal Obamacare at AARP's annual conference Friday in New Orleans.
"The first step to a stronger Medicare is to repeal Obamacare, because it represents the worst of both worlds: It weakens Medicare for today's seniors and puts it at risk for the next generation," said Ryan, drawing boos from the audience.
Speaking about the cut in the rate of growth for future Medicare spending, Ryan said, "The money wasn't walled off to stay in Medicare. Instead, the law turned Medicare into a piggy bank for Obamacare." That earned louder boos.
"You don't have to take my word for it, you don't have to take my word for it," Ryan pleaded.
Other points at the speech were met with applause, and Ryan was received at the start of his remarks with a mixture of applause and boos.
One remark that did draw applause was his criticism of the health care law's "unelected bureaucrats," an apparent reference to the Independent Payment Advisory Board, a cost-control board with limited power that cannot specifically "ration" coverage by law.
Ryan and Romney both support a plan to transform Medicare into a quasi-voucher system, offering private plans alongside traditional Medicare.
Romney was booed at the NAACP conference in June when pledging to repeal Obamacare, although Romney appeared more rattled and strayed from his prepared remarks more than Ryan did on Friday.
While attacking President Barack Obama on social security, Ryan also was met with a mixture of boos and applause. "Time and again, this president has ducked the tough issues. He's put his own job security over your retirement security," he said. "Of course, he said he'd be willing to work with Republicans, but he has not moved an inch closer to common ground." The audience booed. "When it comes to bipartisanship, it's easy to talk the talk, but there is only one man running for president this year who has actually walked the walk. And that man is Mitt Romney."
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