PORTSMOUTH — U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius spoke to a crowd of about 50 people at the Obama for America local campaign office Friday about how the President’s views on issues, including health care and education, set him apart from his GOP opponent, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.

Campaign staffers were quick to say Sebelius was in the state campaigning in a “personal capacity.”

Sebelius said the President believes in an “ownership society” built from the middle class out, while the Romney/Ryan ticket believes in an “on your own ship society.”

“A real ownership economy is about everybody having a fair shake, everybody having a shot at the American dream and everybody playing by the same rules,” Sebelius said.

She said there is no question that education has to be one of the fundamental issues the nation pays attention to in the future for the sake of the economy.

“What built the middle class in America was educating citizens,” Sebelius said.

She said cutting education is a short-term way to save budget dollars but causes a long-term, serious detriment to the economy.

Sebelius said the Affordable Care Act addresses entitlement reform, including Medicare and Medicaid, to ensure it is here for generations to come.

She said the Romney plan would turn seniors over to health insurance companies with no guarantee of benefits.

She planned to make stops in four other New Hampshire communities Friday.

gmacalaster@newstote.com