President Obama Visits Utah, Though Few Get to See Him
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – April 1, 2015 – (Gephardt Daily) – The White House has confirmed that President Barack Obama is flying to Utah on Thursday, April 2, 2015, and staying overnight before he offers remarks about the economy at Hill Air Force Base on Friday.
There is one catch which Utahns might not be too happy about. They’re pretty much out of luck if they want to see the president while he’s in town. From the time he touches down on Air Force One, Thursday afternoon, until he departs late Friday morning, Mr. Obama’s visit is largely a private affair. Beyond the planned photo-op when he’s greeted by Sens. Orrin Hatch, Mike Lee and Salt Lake Mayor Ralph Becker Thursday afternoon, the rest of his trip will unfold beyond the prying eyes of the media. While the president is expected to comment Thursday about the economy, the remainder of his schedule is a closely guarded secret.
Presidential watchers say if Utahns are lucky, they might be able to catch a glimpse of the presidential motorcade should the president and his entourage actually leave the base. While observers say the chief executive is known for occasionally making unscheduled stops to press the flesh at local burger joints, the president’s itinerary will leave little chance for what the Secret Service calls an OTR or ‘Off The Record’ move.
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Wednesday, White House Press Secretary, Josh Earnest, said that Obama’s remarks will center on showing the differences between his plans for building the American economy and that of his Republican detractors.
Obama is expected to target a GOP attempt in Congress to eliminate the so-called estate tax. The White House says scrapping the tax will cost the federal government $300 billion over 10 years.
Obama’s Utah trip leaves South Dakota as the only state he hasn’t visited while in office. The then-Sen. Obama visited Park City in August 2007, when he was running for president.
Obama traveled most often to Democratic and swing states during his first six years in office — a pattern that he has changed dramatically this year, according to The Wall Street Journal
In 2015, his travels have increasingly taken him to red states: Idaho, Kansas, Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and now this week, Kentucky and Utah.
The Wall Street Journal reports that most of the president’s recent speeches about the economy have been in GOP strongholds.
