for U.S. Congress

When President Obama told workers Monday at ZBB Energy Corp. that he's "fighting on all fronts" to get the economy back on track, he could have been talking about his party's dicey political fortunes as well.

"The worst mistake we could make is to go back to doing what we were doing that got us into the mess that we were in," Obama said, referring to the economic meltdown of 2008. "We can't turn back."

Making stops at the high-tech energy firm in Menomonee Falls and later at an election fund-raiser in downtown Milwaukee, Obama said Republicans were counting on voter "amnesia" - that people will forget who was in charge when the economy unraveled.

The president's visit here was part of his biggest campaign fund-raising trip this year - aimed in large part at helping his party win or keep governorships in three states vital to his re-elections prospects in 2012: Wisconsin, Ohio and Florida. The area visit was the first stop on a five-state, three-day swing to California, Washington state, Ohio and Florida.

President Barack Obama visited Wisconsin Monday to endorse Wisconsin democratic gubernatorial candidate and current Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett during a five-state, three-day fundraising tour.

Obama attended a $250-a-plate fundraising luncheon at U.S. Cellular Field for the Wisconsin Democratic Party and its gubernatorial candidate Barrett.

In his endorsement, Obama pointed to Barrett’s character, referencing the incident last year where the mayor was attacked trying to help a woman outside of the Wisconsin state fair as an example of Barrett’s strength.

“That’s the kind of act you don’t hear about every day. He stepped in, tried to help and sustained serious injuries. That’s what counts as a leader,” Obama said. “That’s a person who will fight for you each and every day.”

PRESIDENT OBAMA: (Applause.) Hello, everybody. Thank you. Thank you guys. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you very much. Everybody please have a seat. Thank you very much.

It is wonderful to be at ZBB Energy, and thanks for your hospitality, and thanks for helping to build the future. I've got a couple of people I want to acknowledge. First of all, your wonderful governor and first lady, Jim and Jessica Doyle, are here. Please give them a big round of applause. (Applause.) We got somebody who is fighting on behalf of Wisconsin families each and every day, Russ Feingold, your wonderful U.S. senator. (Applause.) A great friend and somebody who has been really doing great work over her first couple of years in Congress, Congresswoman Gwen Moore. Please give her a big round of applause. (Applause.) And thank you, Eric, for the wonderful tour that you provided to us. Please give Eric Apfelbach a big round of applause -- (applause) -- CEO of ZBB. ...

MENOMONEE FALLS -- President Obama Monday talked up his administration's efforts to jumpstart the economy, saying while the progress made hasn't been enough to undo damage done over the past decade, things are heading in the right direction.

He also slammed those in Washington, D.C., willing to abandon those efforts, demanding that they explain why clean energy jobs like the ones at ZBB Energy Corp. are better off in other countries than here in the United States.

Obama told workers at the Menomonee Falls manufacturer that the recession was the culmination of a decade that "fell like a sledgehammer on middle-class families" and hit manufacturing particularly hard.