Obey endorses Barrett for Wis. governor

MADISON (AP) -- Former U.S. Rep. Dave Obey has endorsed Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in the race to recall Gov. Scott Walker.

Barrett, Kathleen Falk and two other Democrats are vying for the party's nomination to challenge Walker in a June 5 recall election.

Democrats want to oust Walker from office as payback for passing a law that stripped public workers of their union rights.

Wisconsin's largest public unions are backing Falk. But Obey, a Democrat who represented northern Wisconsin in Congress for decades, says Barrett has the right temperament for united a divided state.

He also criticized the Wisconsin chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees for producing a video that incorrectly implies Barrett supported Walker's union changes. The union has apologized for the video.