Outside and inside the Democratic rally that will be headlined by Vice President Joe Biden, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak was revving up the crowd.

First, he worked the line of people waiting to get into the rally, imploring them to volunteer during the final four weeks of the campaign.

"We need everybody signing up," he told them.

"I want to thank the extrwemist Republican party for awakening people," Rybak said. "People are awakening to how extreme their candidate is."

Later, warming up the crowd inside the Macalester gym, Rybak told them: "We've got to work our tails off. Voting's important but it is not enough. We don't just need you to make a few phone calls. Every time you have a free moment you have to deliver for the Democratic Party."

Biden is campaigning in behalf of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton.

Standing in line was Marcia Betker, who drove in from Hutchinson, Minn., because "I love Joe. I'd walk barefoot over hot glass for him."

Wearing a sweatshirt from President Obama's inauguration and a button she got as a delegate to the 2008 Democratic convention, Betker said her faith in the party is undiminished.

"The Republicans have momentum? I don't think so. The economy is coming around -- my husband's a contractor and we can see it's happening."