U.S. Senate hopeful Al Franken made the first stop of his bus tour in Austin Saturday, the anniversary of Sen. Paul Wellstone’s death, bringing along stories and that characteristic humor in honor of his late friend.

A crowd gathered outside the Austin Labor Center, the headquarters for the Mower County DFL, to wait for Franken’s bus to arrive.

Former vice president and presidential nominee Walter “Fritz” Mondale, who served with Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981, is traveling with Franken on his tour. He said he has campaigned for local officials like state Reps. Jeanne Poppe and Robin Brown.

“I campaigned for them, and they won anyway,” he joked to the crowd.

“I think it’s one of the most important elections in Minnesota history,” Mondale said, claiming the current administration has “allowed this economy to run wild.”

“Now, we are at the moment of truth,” he said.

Franken stepped off the bus to cheers and whistles as he stopped to speak with citizens and sign autographs.

“Fritz Mondale made the vice presidency what Al Gore made it,” he praised his colleague, pausing for a moment of silence to honor Wellstone and his family, who died in an airplane crash in 2002 with his wife and daughter. Franken is campaigning for Wellstone’s former seat, which he held for two terms.

“Paul was the public official/politician that I campaigned for the most,” Franken said.

He also encouraged voters to elect Sen. Barack Obama in what he called a “historic year” — the first black president or woman vice president will be elected.

“I believe in 10 days we are going to elect the first African-American president of the United States,” Franken proclaimed to cheers before moving into his campaign platform, which targets the middle class and better-paying wages.

“It’s not, ‘anyone can be president,’ it’s that ‘everyone can have a job,’” he said. “Everyone can have a better life for their kids, and that’s the promise of America.

“Ten days… we can have a choice,” Franken said. “We can elect John McCain and give Sen. Norm Coleman another term, or, we can elect President Obama. We can send Norm Coleman packing, and we can give Minnesota families the change we need.”

Franken said his campaign will call 1.5 million homes and knock on 2.8 million doors during the election.

“This is the first truly grassroots operation in this state,” he said. “I want to stand up with (U.S. Sen.) Amy Klobuchar and President Obama and work for middle-class citizens,” he said.

The Senate hopeful believes this election will be close, but that he has what is takes to beat Coleman.

“I’m going to be fighting for the people who need fighting for,” Franken said, explaining that he would work to stop giveaways to oil and pharmaceutical companies.

The comedian, author and Saturday Night Live star, known for his character “Stuart Smalley,” said his celebrity status works both for and against him.

“It’s been beneficial in certain ways,” he said, citing the average $25 donation to his campaign as evidence the middle class supports him.

“There are some things I’ve written and said that are out there that have been distorted,” Franken said, “and then I apologize.

“It’s kind of cut both ways,” he said.

Franken grew up in the Twin Cities area but lived for a short time in Albert Lea, where his father started a quilting factory. He said he attended Jewish services in Austin because there weren’t any at the time in Albert Lea, the next stop on his tour.

Melissa Lindberg, a volunteer with the Mower County DFL, said Franken’s stop was “wonderful.”

“I think it’s great,” she said. “He’s such a passionate man.”

State Sen. Dan Sparks was in attendance, and said he believes Franken has run a “very positive campaign.”

“It was wonderful to see such a good turnout,” he said after the rally.

Quin Brunner, 10, a sixth-grader sporting state Poppe and Franken gear during the rally, first became interested in politics while campaigning for Poppe in Austin.

“When I was 6, my dad took me out door-knocking for Jeanne Poppe,” Brunner said. “I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Brunner said he likes Franken “because he’s a Democrat. I like what they believe in.”