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Milwaukee (CNN) -- President Barack Obama told a large union audience in Wisconsin on Monday that while "Republicans in Congress love to say no," he is the one who "placed a bet on America's workers."

In a speech that skirted the line between politics and policy, Obama outlined what many Democrats are using as a midterm platform, highlighting hopes to raise the minimum wage and pass immigration reform. Obama also used the speech to portray Republicans as obstructionists who are holding the country back.

The President told the receptive audience that "most of the policies I am talking about have two things in common. They are going to help more families get ahead. And Republicans who run our Congress oppose almost all of them."

When the crowd broke out in a chorus of boos, Obama reflexively turned to a now oft-used line: "Don't boo, vote. Don't boo, vote. It is easy to boo, I want you to vote."

The political line was a staple during Obama's 2012 re-election campaign.

"I want an economy where your hard work pays off with higher wages and higher income and fair pay for women and workplace flexibility for parents and affordable health insurance and decent retirement benefits," Obama said. "I'm not asking for the moon, I just want a good deal for American workers."

Although the Obama administration billed the appearance as an official White House event set to "underscore the important progress America has made since the economic collapse," the Laborfest speech featured a jacket-less Obama who, for most the most part, appeared to be in campaign mode.

"I think eventually Congress is going to hear them. We'll break those folks down. We'll just stay on it. We'll just keep at it," Obama said. "'Cause the only thing more powerful than an idea whose time has come is when millions of people organizing around an idea whose time has come. Millions of people are voting for an idea whose time has come."

The President used the Labor Day gathering of 6,000 union members and their families to herald organized labor's role in passing the 40-hour work week, overtime pay for workers and a minimum wage. Standing before helmet-clad workers sporting "We Are One" t-shirts, Obama also said he would likely join a union.

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Obama: 'I'd join a union'