President Obama stops in Milwaukee

MENOMONEE FALLS - President Obama arrived in Milwaukee with two goals: Play up his economic agenda, and raise money for democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett.

Obama knows he needs democrats to stay in power as he pushes his policies forward.

"The worst mistake we can make is to go back to what got us into the mess we're in. We can't turn back we got to keep turning forward," said Obama during his stop in Wisconsin.

The Republican Party of Wisconsin discounts Obama's visit believing his presence will only hurt candidates that align with him.

"Obama's coattails are more like an anchor tied around a candidate's neck," said Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.

Obama was the star attraction at a fund raiser for Tom Barrett.

"Hello Milwaukee..." said Obama to a cheering crowd at the U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee.

The $250 a ticket event brought in more than $300,000.

Taxpayer dollars though were used to get the President to Wisconsin since he toured ZBB Energy Corporation in Menomonee Falls. The company received a $1.3 million Recovery Act loan to expand the facility and workforce.

The company makes batteries able to store electricity. And the president told employees their clean energy work is part of his plan to fix the economy now and well into the future.

"We're investing in projects that will lead to hundreds of thousands of private sector jobs but also lay groundwork so our kids and grandkids can keep prospering," Obama told ZBB workers.

But while the president says the economy is once again growing the Republican Party of Wisconsin points out manufacturing jobs in Wisconsin have declined under democratic leadership in Madison. Those jobs now make up less than 16 percent of all jobs in the state.

Priebus says republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker is the answer to positive change. But he does acknowledge Obama's visit sparks interest.

"At the end of the day politically Obama is not a plus for Tom Barrett. Perhaps financially you're right, perhaps financially he's a plus," said Priebus.

Some democratic candidates around the county are keeping their distance from Obama due to mixed reviews on health care and stimulus dollars.

The president says he is going where he's wanted. And this trip will take him to five states in three days to help candidates in tight races, not to mention himself in 2012.