LA CROSSE -- While the nation's attention turns to the 2016 presidential race and the ever-growing field of candidates, President Barack Obama will try to drive a message he's been repeating since his first campaign: economic fairness.
Obama will talk at a fieldhouse here in a few hours and is expected to discuss his plan to make it easier for salaried workers to get overtime so that anyone earning less than $50,440 will be eligible, up from $23,660.
Behind the stage is a massive banner in Obama's signature blue color with the words, "Middle Class Economics."
Obama will likely nod to today's employment report, which showed the labor market adding a healthy 223,000 jobs and lower unemployment, but also slow wage growth and workers dropping out of the job market.
Republicans say the economy is being hindered by taxes and burdensome regulations like Obama's new overtime rule.
Even in the final half of his final term, Obama can still draw a crowd. Long lines were waiting to clear security this morning.
