MICHIGAN CITY | A former congressman Monday urged fellow Democrats in Michigan City to verbally fight until the Nov. 4 election for Barack Obama.

"We have to go tell people that this country is going to go in a new and better direction. Barack Obama is going to take us in that direction," said Tim Roemer, formerly of South Bend.

Roemer, who now lives in Virginia, was congressman from 1991 to 2003 and was part of the 9/11 Commission that examined how the United States can best address the threat of terrorism to national security.

Roemer also made appearances in East Chicago, Portage and Chesterton on Monday.

At the Obama headquarters at Evergreen Plaza on U.S. 20, the now 51-year old Roemer told about 50 supporters to eagerly spread word about Obama's platform that includes hybrid vehicles made in the U.S.A. traveling at 100 mpg.

Development of such green technology as proposed by Obama would create millions of new jobs and keep U.S. dollars now flowing to oil barons and Middle East dictators at home, said Roemer.

Among Obama's other priorities are to give a $1,000 tax break to anyone earning less than $250,000 a year and fix health care, he said.

Roemer also urged supporters to attack the lies being spread by Republicans about Obama to instill fear, particularly among undecided voters as the election draws closer.

Roemer said America can be at its best once again but not under the kind of policies the last eight years that have led to "too much greed on Wall Street and not enough jobs on Main Street."

"We are off on the wrong track folks. Barack Obama is talking about how we can change America for the better. Those are the kind of ideas that are going to help turn this country around," Roemer said.

Roemer has been to several Midwestern states recently campaigning for Obama.

Roemer was considered a possible candidate for Indiana governor in 2008 but chose not to run.

He did not rule out a political comeback, saying that might be in the works if the opportunity presents itself.

He's currently a distinguished scholar at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and president of the Center for National Policy, a Washington, D.C., based national security think tank.