McCain Thanks His Troops In Visit To St. Paul
Despite Barack Obama's apparent lead in Minnesota, he says the state is a battleground.

By Bob von Sternberg, Star Tribune (MN)
July 11, 2008

Mac was back in Minnesota Thursday.

Sending a strong signal he intends to compete in the reliably Democratic state, Republican presidential candidate John McCain dropped in on his regional headquarters in St. Paul to shake hands and pose with staffers and supporters.

It was three weeks to the day since his previous St. Paul visit, a town hall session.

He told his supporters that, come November, "Minnesota will be a battleground state and Minnesota may determine who is the next president of the United States. ... We've got 117 days left and I need you to spend as much time as possible getting every single one of our voters out to the polls."

Telling the volunteers it would be on their shoulders if he loses the state, he sardonically reminded them he was merely delivering "straight talk."

"Every single person in this room has something else to do," McCain told them. "There's no way I can ever repay you."

"I will always act in the best interest of this nation and I will never let you down," he said before making his way out of the room as cameras flashed.

McCain was accompanied by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, whose presence at the Arizona senator's side once again fanned speculation that he is high on the short list of GOP vice-presidential possibilities. Once again, though, both McCain and Pawlenty declined to address the speculation.

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