President Obama embarked on what his campaign has branded the "Betting on America" bus tour through the swing state of Ohio today, hammering his opponent, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, on wanting to continue to give breaks to wealthy people, and emphasizing his own decision to invest in the American automotive industry and focus on the middle-class.

In the town of Maumee this morning, the president spoke of a nearby Chrysler plant that was doing well and how his bet on the American worker had been repaid here and can be repeated elsewhere. He stressed that Americans do not fear competition, and that trade is an opportunity and not a threat for the American economy.

Later in the afternoon in the city of Sandusky, President Obama hit some traditional "small-c" conservative talking points on personal responsibility, as Politico reports:

"I think you can't help folks if they don't want to help themselves. America wasn't built on handouts. It was built on responsibility. And we have to challenge everybody."

Ohio is a critical swing state in November's election; President Bush won a close race over Sen. John Kerry in 2004, but President Obama captured the Buckeye State four years ago. Polls have shown a very close race throughout the current campaign.

 

Reach Executive Producer Matt Pressberg here.