Minn. Dems lean on Clinton to rally election base

Published 9:27 am Tuesday, October 30, 2012

MINNEAPOLIS — Former President Bill Clinton is trying to stir Minnesota Democrats into action by telling them “in the real world, Barack Obama’s policies work better.”

Clinton offered his testimonial Tuesday to Obama during at a rally on the University of Minnesota campus. It comes as Republican Mitt Romney and his allies give new attention to a state considered critical to Obama’s fortunes.

About 1,800 people heard Clinton vouch for Obama’s policies for health care, foreign affairs and college affordability.

Republicans argue Clinton’s stop is a sign of Democratic worry. Both Romney and Obama have begun airing ads in Minnesota, but Obama has a bigger campaign footprint.

Meanwhile, Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan was landing at the Minneapolis airport later Tuesday en route to an event just across the Wisconsin border.