Obama Visits Lawrence
Feb 11, 2015
President Obama visited Lawrence on January 22 and was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd on his tour that is intended to gain support for proposals to help the lower and middle income families.
Tickets to the event were released first to KU students and faculty on Monday, January 19 then to the general public the following day. American Government teacher Derrick Abromeit stood in line for 2 and a half hours to snag one of the free tickets. In order to attend the speech Abromeit had to take a personal day and wait in line outside Anschutz Pavilion for several hours. The long wait did not seem to bother people according to Abromeit.
“ People (strangers) were having conversations, laughing, etc.,” Abromeit said.
While Abromeit and the rest of the crowd were awaiting the President’s arrival, he started his day at the Lawrence Head Start center where he met with parents and discussed his plans on child care such as tripling the tax break on kids that are 5 and under.
“Affordable, high-quality childcare and early childhood education — these aren’t just nice-to-haves, this is a must-have,” Obama said.
To succeed he plans to raise taxes for the higher income families
“(We want) a tax code that truly helps working Americans,” Obama said.
He then moved on to KU where he visited with the men’s basketball team.
“He was real cool, real humble,” Kansas freshman guard Devonte’ Graham said “He came in, introduced himself, talked about basketball. It was a great experience.”
The team gave him a basketball signed by everyone and a jersey with Obama and the number one stitched on the back
Obama followed this by giving a speech at the Anschutz Sports Pavilion. During his speech he stated “Tell me what you want to do, let’s get to ‘yes’ on helping more families get by. I want to get to ‘yes’ on child care.”
The crowd was enthusiastic when he asked congress to pass a bill giving men and women equal pay in the workplace claiming that in 2015 it is a “no brainer” said Obama. During his speech he also asked for a higher minimum wage and a better technical infrastructure “Lawrence gets it,” he said. He then mentions how Lawrence has been steadily making their own technical infrastructure better by encouraging competition among private companies
After his speech he changed clothes in the women’s soccer locker room. He left a message that said “Thanks, Team… and good luck!
After his campus visit Obama briefly visited with Governor Sam Brownback in Topeka and the Kansas National Guard soldiers before boarding Air Force One and headed back to Washington D.C.
