Maria Koutsoukos of Eagan applauded Gov. Tim Pawlenty's speech, and eagerly waited to hear Michele Bachmann. "I do not know anything about her. . .she's not my congressional district," said Koutsoukos. "I decided to attend because she is speaking today to find out more about her."

Cherie Taylor of Crystal, brought her daughters, ages 7 and 10, to the rally. "They're home-schooled so I figure this is like social studies," she said. Ten- year-old Sadie is most looking forward to seeing Sean Hannity because, she said, "we listen to him on the radio."

When Hannity briefly appeared at the edge of the stage, the crowd roared. Edward Schultz of Hastings was sitting in a wheelchair towards the back of the hall with a Bachmann sign hanging from his wheelchair. "I want to hear Sarah, and I like Michelle," he said, explaining why he was at the rally. "I think they're pretty much alike." Of Palin, he added: "I like that she's not afraid to say (things) the way it is. Sarah stands for the pro-family." Voting for her for president? "Definitely -- wouldn't have to think about it." Schultz, who is 58, said he needs a wheelchair because of his arthritis. "Hard to walk," he said. Sample t-shirts spotted in the hall:" Obamination" "Obamunism" [with a hammer and sickle], along with lots of flag shirts, "Reagan for president" and "Is it 2012 yet?" Standing with his two boys, ages 9 and 11, Chad Jankowski from Hutchinson waited for the rally to start. He liked Palin, he explained, because she wanted to "put an end to out-of-control government. . .the big spending." Jankowski, a 32-year-old contractor who said he once voted for President Clinton, said there was a more fundamental reason why he was drawn to Palin.

"She comes from an average, normal family -- not a rich, lawyer-type politician," he said. Still, he said he had not ruled out voting for a democrat in 2012.

But, he added: "Things would really have to change before that."

Like others at the rally, Jankowski viewed Palin as the big draw. Jankowski said he did not know much at all about Bachmann, and had never heard Palin or Bachmann speak in public before. "I'm getting more active," he said.