By Eileen Buckley
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-901636.mp3
Buffalo, NY – President Barack Obama arrives in Buffalo Thursday to continue his "White House to Main Street Tour." Air Force One is scheduled to arrive at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport at 12:25. He will now join a line of past Presidents who visited Buffalo.
"The most notable of all, and most infamous, was the McKinley visit to the Pan Am that ended in a tragic assassination," said UB political science professor James Campbell, looking back to Buffalo's very first presidential visit. It created two historic moments in time. Days later, Theodore Roosevelt arrived in Buffalo to be sworn in to lead the country.
But the tragedy didn't prevent other siting Presidents from visiting Buffalo. Franklin Roosevelt made an appearance and Harry Truman visited three times. By 1962, thousands gathered in Buffalo's Niagara Square to hear President John Kennedy speak after he appeared in the Pulaski Day Parade.
President Kennedy spoke about Poland's fight for freedom on the steps of City Hall. Former Buffalo radio newsman Ray Marks remembers attending Kennedy's historic visit as an 18-year-old.
"People were very close to him," Marks said. "There were about 100-thousand people in Niagara Square."
By 1978, Marks was working as a news reporter in Buffalo. This time he covered a presidential visit.
"The one that comes to mind is President Carter, who came to town well after the Blizzard of '77," Marks recalls.
Carter's message to Buffalo -- as well as Ronald Reagan's during his 1984 visit -- talked about reducing inflation and creating jobs.
President Bill Clinton made two appearances in the region during his administration. One in 1996 and again in 1999 -- shortly after his impeachment vote. Professor Campbell says presidential visits are staged, even orchestrated, to show the country the president is being supported.
"I think presidents want to be seen speaking before friendly crowds," Campbell said.
The last time a president visited Buffalo was April of 2004. George W. Bush delivered a speech at Kleinhan's Music Hall. It was designed mainly for law enforcement, focusing on homeland security and the Patriot Act.
But today's Obama visit will focus on the economy and jobs. Mr. Obama will speak to workers at Industrial Support -- a metal fabricating plant on Buffalo's East Side. He will use this site as an example that manufacturing is alive and well in the US.
Professor Campbell says that the "in-party" -- in this case the Democrats -- wants to "strike an optimistic note" that things are improving and the President had something to do with it."
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