MANITOWOC – After a November election which focused largely on job creation, President Barack Obama changed gears, mentioning the future, the 21st century and innovation a total of 19 times in his first major address following Tuesday’s State of the Union.

While Obama discussed the creation of jobs and the economy – with the word “jobs” used nine times – he echoed a sentiment already covered in Tuesday’s State of the Union address: the United States must become the world champion in innovation to lead the global economy in the 21st century.

At green technology manufacturer Orion Energy Systems in Manitowoc, a city just south of Green Bay, he told the audience of more than 250 employees the kind of work they do there will be central to the country’s goals.

“I came here to Manitowoc to glimpse [the] future,” Obama said. “We’ve got to lead the world in innovation… that’s how we’ll create the jobs of the future.”

Obama recalled how more than 50 years ago a chunk of the satellite Sputnik fell in Manitowoc, after which the U.S. pooled their energy to beat other countries of the world to the moon. The current global race, he said, will be won by the country who leads the world in innovation – particularly with green products.

“It is here, more than 50 years later, that the race for the 21st century will be won,” said Obama, who referenced economic competition with South Korea and China in his speech Tuesday.. 

Clean energy, he said, must be vital to America’s goals for the future. In the State of the Union address, Obama challenged the U.S. to see that 80 percent of electricity comes from clean sources by 2035. On Wednesday, he reiterated another goal: to become the first nation to have one million electric cars on the roads within five years.

While Obama said green jobs are currently abound in countries like China, the U.S. has not been moving fast enough to create these opportunities.

“Those are jobs that could be created right here that are getting shipped overseas,” Obama said. 

Companies like Orion, Obama said, are the exception to this statement. National investment in small, clean energy companies like this will be the key to a successful American economy.

Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who attended Obama’s speech, said he and the president had a healthy conversation when Walker was first elected governor, and although they may root for opposing sides, he hoped they could work together with congress to revive the American economy.

“I don’t care about parties as long as people are working in the right direction when it comes to jobs,” Walker said. “I think in the end for either of us [Wisconsin voters are] going to judge us on job performance, and that’s something I’m looking forward to.”

Walker also mentioned a Green Bay Packers jersey he had given to the president, an avid Chicago Bears fan, with the name ‘Obama’ and the number one. The rivalry was joked about throughout the event, but Obama connected the Packers’ upcoming Super Bowl appearance with his goals of innovation, reminding the audience of famous words from legendary Coach Vince Lombardi.

“‘There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game, and that’s first place.’ That’s the kind of determination to win that America needs to show right now,” Obama said. “We need to win the future.”