Obama presses for minimum wage increase

U.S. President Barack hits the road one day after his State of the Union speech.

His first stop -- a reopened manufacturing plant in North Carolina --- was intended to send a message and to silence critics who say his plans are hurting American businesses.

SOUNDBITE: U.S. President Barack Obama saying:

"It's not a Democratic thing or a Republican thing, Our job as Americans is to restore that basic bargain that says if you work hard, if you meet your responsibilities, you can get ahead. If you work full time, you shouldn't be in poverty."

He's calling for an increase in the minimum wage - a point he raised on Tuesday night -- and one that isn't sitting well with Republicans, who complain Obama's plans for economic growth include tax hikes without spending cuts.