Coleman cancels plans to work crowd at Dylan show

ST. PAUL (AP) -- At the end of a five-city, 13-hour day, GOP Senate candidate Norm Coleman decided to skip plans to meet and greet fans on their way to a Bob Dylan concert at Xcel Energy Center.

"I think I've had a full day," Coleman said after a rally in St. Paul on Wednesday. "I'd much rather go to listen to the music than to work the crowd."

Coleman said he hasn't reached out to Dylan and doesn't know if the Minnesota-born singer would support him. "But I love him, by the way," Coleman said. "I love him whether he supports me or not -- I love him. He's still a hero of mine."

Inside the arena, Dylan once again dedicated a song to Coleman's former opponent, Sen. Paul Wellstone, who was killed in a plane crash near Eveleth on Friday.

"This is dedicated to my man, who reached the end of the road up in Eveleth," Dylan said.

There were conflicting reports on whether the song was "The Times They Are A-Changin"' or "High Water."

Dylan's "Forever Young" was the music featured during the lengthy video centerpiece of Tuesday night's public memorial service for Wellstone.

At a concert in Denver on Saturday, Dylan dedicated "The Times They Are A-Changin"' to Wellstone.

"This is for a great man and a great senator from Minnesota," Dylan told his Denver audience.

Minnesota Democrats late Wednesday nominated former Vice President Walter Mondale to run in Wellstone's place against Coleman.