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DICK DALY: The affair seemed to be a big success by almost any standard-- the crowd large and enthusiastic, the rally carried by all three Duluth commercial TV stations, and the participants even managed to fit it all perfectly into the one hour purchased with party funds. And most important, of course, a sitting American president was in town for the first time since John Kennedy stopped here in 1963.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

SPEAKER: Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.

[MUSIC, "THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER"]

DICK DALY: The welcome, as you can hear, was enthusiastic, although a few boos could be heard when Jimmy Carter shook hands with DFL Senate candidate, Bob Short. It was clearly a political visit. No pretense was made about that. Carter was obviously here to help a DFL ticket believed to be in some trouble.

JIMMY CARTER: I wouldn't say that I'm tired, but I haven't had much rest since we began to summit talks at Camp David. And I didn't have to come here tonight because I'd like to be going back to Washington to be with my family for a change. But I've come here, and so has the vice president, because I care about what happens in Minnesota Tuesday night when the election returns come in. It's important to the country, and it's a completely legitimate thing for a president to care who the governor of a state is and who the members of the Senate are.

[APPLAUSE]

DICK DALY: And the president, as did so many of the speakers Friday night, invoked the memory of the man who forged the DFL party and led it for so long.

JIMMY CARTER: But the progress that we have made has been because of a strong team spirit, a spirit that epitomizes what Hubert Humphrey's life meant, what he stood for-- a concern about common ordinary working people who don't want a selfish benefit from government but just want a chance in life-- to be an individual, to take whatever talent God might have given us, and use that talent to the utmost to be free and proud-- proud of ourselves, proud of our family, proud of our country. That's not asking too much, and that's what we've tried to bring back.

Your state is known throughout the nation as setting an example for the rest of us in honesty and decency and concern about one another, voter participation. This is what we need to have Tuesday. But we can't take anything for granted. I doubt if any time in recent years has there been a threat that the governor's office, both Senate offices might go to the Republican Party.

DICK DALY: Carter did single out Senator Anderson for special mention, describing him as a very respected member of Congress and asking the voters to send Anderson back to Washington to help the administration get the job done.

There was a good deal of criticism that both the president and vice president attended the same Duluth rally at considerable security expense. Some dissidents called it political overkill in a desperate attempt to save Senator Anderson. Eighth district Congressman, James Oberstar, was master of ceremonies and dealt with that issue head on.

JAMES OBERSTAR: The people of the eighth congressional district are the key to this election. You are the decisive factor in statewide elections. And on Tuesday, with the national spotlight on our voting booths, I want you to turn that key one more time for a smashing DFL victory on November 7th.

[APPLAUSE]

DICK DALY: And that was the substance of it, but there was much color too. The delighted looks on the faces of various local office holders seated on the stage when greeted by the president or vice president, some rather vigorous jostling for position by members of the traveling national press corps with locals who had pre-empted all the good camera positions. An unusually large number of local reporters had press credentials, but only a few of them were actually covering the event. The rest apparently obtaining the press badges just to be assured of a good seat.

SPEAKER 1: Long live [INAUDIBLE] and American people.

SPEAKER 2: Long live [INAUDIBLE] American people.

SPEAKER 1: Down with the [INAUDIBLE]--

DICK DALY: And of course, it wouldn't really be a presidential visit without the trappings of a demonstration of some kind-- in this case, a group of students protesting American arms sales to Iran. A much smaller group called attention to a presidential promise to stop development of Project ELF-- a navy communications system proposed for Northern Wisconsin. There were, however, no incidents. And it all ended with a bit of humor from Congressman Oberstar.

JAMES OBERSTAR: Thank you. Thank you all for coming tonight. But please, vote, vote often on November 7th, and let's send the DFL team back to Washington.

DICK DALY: By then, Jimmy Carter was already on his way home and will probably never know how much effect the extravaganza had on voter sentiment. This is Dick Daly.