President Obama will make a stop in Detroit to check out all of the vehicles at the North American International Auto Show. This will be his first visit ever to the NAIAS.
DETROIT, MI - President Obama will make a stop in Detroit to check out all of the vehicles at the North American International Auto Show. This will be his first visit ever to the NAIAS.
The visit:
The President plans to come to the show during one of the public days on Wednesday, January 20, 2016. The stop at the show is part of a trip to Detroit to highlight the revival of the city and the auto industry since the $85 million auto industry bailout.
This will be the first time President Obama has ever visited the auto show in Detroit. It will be his 17th trip to Michigan since taking office. President Obama will be at least the third president to attend the Detroit auto show. The others included Bill Clinton in 1999 and Dwight Eisenhower in the late 1950s.
The White House announcement on January 9th of the President's visit hinted he may make other stops in Detroit. Those details are expected as the date gets closer.
The security:
Show officials will work with the Secret Service on security measures for the President's visit. "We've been through it back in '99," said Rob Alberts, executive director of the show, adding he has some of the same security personnel from then.
A statement from Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan's office said, "The President and administration have been great friends to the city of Detroit, and we look forward to showing him our progress."
In a walk-through of the auto show Thursday, Duggan said the city was "totally coordinated with the federal government" on all safety issues for the show. "I think you're going to see very good security."
NAIAS hours:
The North American International Auto Show is open to the public Saturday, January 16 - Saturday, January 23, 2016 at Cobo Center in Downtown Detroit.
Tickets are $13 per person for adults, $7 for seniors and kids ages 7-12.
President's last visit:
The President was last in Michigan in September 2015 with Jill Biden, the Vice President's wife, at Macomb County Community College. While there, he spoke about apprenticeship programs and making community college free.
Auto related visits:
The President's last auto-related visit was a year ago in early January when he celebrated American manufacturing, praised the resiliency of Michigan and Detroit, and touted the nation's economic recovery after touring Ford Motor Co.'s factory in Wayne.
The President has made other auto-related visits to the state. At GM's Orion factory in 2011, he and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak touted a new free-trade agreement between the two nations
In July 2010, the president toured the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly and Chrysler's Jefferson North Assembly plants. It marked his first presidential visit to Motown.
In February 2012, the President endorsed the gas-electric Chevrolet Volt, saying he planned to buy the extended-range electric vehicle upon leaving office.
"Five years from now when I'm not president anymore, I'll buy one and drive it myself," Obama said to applause during a speech to 1,600 workers and retirees from the United Auto Workers union.
Edward Pevos is a reporter for Mlive covering Detroit and Southeast Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter @PaparazzoPevos