Obama may pay visit to Twin Cities for health care talk

By MARY LYNN SMITH, Star Tribune

Last update: September 9, 2009

A presidential visit may be in the works for the Twin Cities.

President Obama reportedly will be in Minnesota on Saturday, most likely to deliver a speech on health care reform at either the Target Center in Minneapolis or the Xcel Center in St. Paul.

White House officials haven't disclosed details about the trip, and on Tuesday local Democratic officials said they hadn't received any official word about a visit.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar said late Tuesday night that she had heard that the president might be in Minnesota but hadn't received confirmation of the trip from White House officials.

But a trip to Minnesota would make sense, she said, because Obama has used Minnesota as a "shining example" of health care services. Specifically, Obama has cited the Mayo Clinic in Rochester as a system that works, praising its integrated system as an example of efficient, coordinated care.