New York Sen. Hillary Clinton is back in Minnesota today with the goal of adding Al Franken as a colleague and nudging the Democrats toward that magic total of 60 seats in the Senate.

Clinton, the former First Lady who pushed to the very end in her campaign for the Democratic nomination for president, is scheduled to appear on Franken's behalf at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.

The rally to get out the vote for Franken and Barack Obama, her party's choice for president, is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Romano Gym. The doors open at 3:45 p.m., and no tickets are required.

A Franken victory over GOP incumbent Norm Coleman is seen as vital to the Democrats' drive to control 60 seats in the Senate, a total that would give the party a better chance of thwarting filibusters.

Two weeks ago, Clinton was in Minneapolis for Franken and in Hibbing for Obama.

On the Republican side today, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani will campaign for Norm Coleman at a 4 p.m. rally at O'Gara's Bar and Grill in St. Paul. Giuliani was in Minnesota Oct. 23, when he appeared in Bloomington for Coleman.

Paul Walsh  612-673-4482