TOPEKA, Kan. — After much preparation and anticipation on Wednesday, Air Force One landed at Forbes Field around 7:30 p.m. ahead of President Barack Obama’s visit to the University of Kansas on Thursday.
Pres. Obama jogged down the stairs and stopped to chat with three important people at the bottom: Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, Topeka Mayor Larry Wolgast and Colonel Ron Krueger, the Wing Commander of the 190th Air Refueling Wing.
After chatting for a few minutes, Mr. Obama got into his car and hit the road with the motorcade en route to Lawrence. After he left, Gov. Brownback revealed what they talked about on the tarmac, and it started with basketball.
“He said he’s going to see (KU basketball coach) Bill Self tomorrow. I said, ‘are they going to sign you up? You going to shoot some with them?’ He said, ‘naw.’ I said, ‘well, we could use an extra few shooters here,’ so we’ll see,” Gov. Brownback said. “He enjoys it. I’m delighted to have the president in Kansas. It’s an honor anytime the president travels to your state, and so I’m honored the president is in Kansas.”
Col. Krueger said this was the first time he’s ever met the president.
“It was really neat. It’s quite an honor to have the president here and there’s a lot of things he’s obviously working on and they’re going on right now, so the fact that his job would bring him here and we would all get a chance to see him and meet, it’s just a neat opportunity,” Col. Krueger said.
The president will be speaking at the Anschutz Sports Pavilion where doors open at 8:30 a.m. You must have a ticket to get inside. The president is scheduled to speak at around 11:20 a.m. and afterwards he’ll take off for Topeka and leave on board Air Force One.
