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Bill Clinton campaigns for Obama, Franken

Former President Bill Clinton speaks at a rally Thursday night at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
Image by Steve Maturen
Former President Bill Clinton speaks at a rally Thursday night at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Stevie WonderâÄôs âÄúSigned, Sealed and Delivered, IâÄôm YoursâÄù blasted as Bill Clinton took the stage Thursday night during a rally at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Throughout his speech, which closed an evening of Minnesota politiciansâÄô rallying cries, he repeated the theme of the evening, stressing the importance of electing Al Franken to the U.S. Senate. âÄúIf you elect Obama and you donâÄôt elect Franken, the Republicans in Congress will say âÄòWow, we dodged a bullet,âÄôâÄù he said. âÄúYou need to understand that if you want the most to come out of this electionâÄù youâÄôve got to send the right signal to the people left in Washington. âÄúMinnesota has led this country in a lot of ways. You can lead us again,âÄù Clinton added. âÄúTo lead us again you have to elect Obama, and Al Franken to the U.S. Senate.âÄù Throughout the evening, Minnesota politicians extended the call to avoid complacency and to help Franken âÄúreclaimâÄù former Sen. Paul WellstoneâÄôs seat. Sen. Amy Klobuchar asked everyone attending to sign up for volunteering before they left. âÄúDonâÄôt you feel history coursing through your veins?âÄù Rep. Keith Ellison asked. There are five more days to knock on doors, proving everyone counts, he added. Hassan Karron stood outside the center before the event with a bullhorn and a volunteer sign-up sheet looking to get volunteers to knock on 2 million doors in the metro before the election. He started working for the Obama and Franken campaigns last week after he ran into some recruiters on his way to the store. He took a break from his job as a club promoter to promote Obama and Franken instead. âÄúIt will be hectic until the election,âÄù he said. âÄúWeâÄôll be out here every second we can.âÄù Adele Hall, University of Minnesota graduate student in urban and regional planning, was recruited to knock on doors this weekend. She said she thinks Clinton will be helpful to the Obama and Franken campaigns because the economy is so bad now and the economy was good during the Clinton administration. University of Minnesota-Morris political science professor Paula OâÄôLoughlin echoes that sentiment. âÄúClintonâÄôs appealing to people right now in terms of domestic economic issues,âÄù she said. When people think of the Clinton years, theyâÄôre basically economically prosperous. So the idea is that this Clinton can help this candidate, OâÄôLoughlin added. The speakers focused much of their criticisms on the Bush administration. âÄúAre you tired of that sub-prime leadership in the White House?âÄù Klobuchar asked. Another theme of the night was getting involved in the political process âÄî making phone calls, knocking on doors and getting out the vote. Franken used the words of Wellstone as he asked the crowd to volunteer. âÄúPaul Wellstone said, âÄòthe future belongs to those who are passionate and work hard.âÄô If weâÄôre going to take PaulâÄôs seat back, give Amy Klobuchar the partner she needsâĦweâÄôre going to have to get to work,âÄù he said. He added that the metro-area volunteers plan to make 1.5 million phone calls and knock on 2.8 million doors before the election. âÄúThis Senate race is going to be close,âÄù Franken said. âÄúI know you donâÄôt want to wake up on Nov. 5 thinking you could have done more.âÄù

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