By Mike Kaszuba

Hundreds of chanting unemployed workers held a rally Wednesday at the State Capitol, calling on Gov. Tim Pawlenty and state legislators to adopt a $1 billion bonding bill and take other measures to create jobs.

Wearing hard hats and carrying signs -- include many that read, "Put Us To Work" -- the workers cheered and whistled at the early afternoon rally and listened as legislators promised to help. One man, standing near the front, repeatedly called out: "We Want The Vikings Stadium Too!", a reference to the push for a new, publicly-subsidized stadium for the Minnesota Vikings.

At one point, Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, a gubernatorial candidate and union member who drew loud applause, led the chant:

"What do you want?" he yelled.

"Paycheck" they yelled back.

One unidentified speaker, wearing a black cowboy hat, received loud cheers when he criticized politicians for ignoring working Minnesotans. "It's not about us. It's never been about us [to them]. . .it's about corporate America, and huge companies," he said.

Though Pawlenty signaled Wednesday that he would sign the latest $1 billion bonding bill, which is expected to go before the House and Senate on Thursday, many workers stopped at his office following the rally to fill out comment cards.

"He always seems to be gone when we have a rally for jobs," Jim Mackey, 49, an unemployed union laborer, said as he stood outside the governor's office. Mackey, who lives in Hastings, said he left a note for Pawlenty, asking him to "finish his job" as governor before considering his political future.

"He's got nine months where he's supposed to be helping our state, not hindering it," he said.