PROVIDENCE -- The political stars keep coming.

The Sheldon Whitehouse campaign confirmed this afternoon that Barack Obama, the Illinois junior senator who drew thousands to Brown University for a late-night speech last month, will return to Rhode Island this weekend.

Obama, who delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, appeared at a Whitehouse fundraiser three weeks ago, before speaking at Brown.

He's scheduled to return Saturday morning for a free "get out the vote" rally at the Temple to Music inside Roger Williams Park. The event, slated for 10 a.m. to noon, is open to the public.

Voters will head to the polls three days later as Whitehouse tries to unseat the incumbent Republican, Lincoln Chafee.

-- Projo.com staff writer Steve Peoples, with reports from Journal staff writer Scott MacKay