Feb 17, 2009 2:27 pm US/Mountain
CBS4 Blog: Big Doings In Obama's Denver Visit
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President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden walk with Namaste Solar CEO Blake Jones, left, during a tour of the solar array at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.
Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
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Gov. Bill Ritter on Tuesday speaking in front of the president.
CBS
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President Barack Obama shakes Gov. Bill Ritter's hand after getting off Air Force One in Denver.
CBS
Editor's Note: cbs4denver.com and the team of CBS4 reporters are providing blog updates from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science Tuesday as President Barack Obama signs the economic stimulus bill. Check back for updates and also follow cbs4denver on Twitter.
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4:10 p.m. Watch CBS4 News at 5 and 6 for a complete wrap-up of the day's events and bill signing. Terry Jessup, Rick Sallinger and Kathy Walsh report from the DMNS.
4:00 p.m. Slideshow of event now updated with pictures of members of Congress and other Democratic politicians who attended the event and spoke.
Click here to see all the images.
3:20 p.m. Leslie LeMaster of Denver emails to say that "over here at 6th and Chambers this was big news as everything stopped as we all watched the Presidential motorcade come and go with lots of people in the street waving and cheering!"
2:00 p.m. John Craco Sr. sent in this email comment: "So by all means lets spend a million dollars or more to come to Denver to sign it! I'm not sure who is dumber, the government or the people that tolerate this garbage. It's going to be hard to dig our way out of debt with these morons spending money foolishly like they do. Wonder what this dog and pony show cost today?"
1:50 p.m. Ran into Rep. Jared Polis, D-Boulder, on the way out of the DMNS. He was using small digital video camera to interview a Fort Collins politician for his video blog on cnn.com.
1:37 p.m. Reporters clamour to interview Blake Jones, the businessman who introduced Obama. The crowd leaves slowly and reporters rush to file stories and photos.
1:30 p.m. Obama spent several minutes shaking hands with special guests in the front row of the crowd and those on stage. He then posed for a picture and left stage.
1:24 p.m. Obama signs Stimulus Bill and leaves stage.
1:22 p.m. Obama ends remarks, goes to sign bill.
1:21 p.m. Obama says none of this will be easy and the road to recovery will be steep.
1:20 p.m. Obama says most of tax cuts go to middle class, not wealthiest Americans. He says he signing a balanced plan that includes tax cuts and investments. He says it is free of earmarks and pork spending and includes transparency and accountability.
1:16 p.m. Obama says Boulder is one pace to be the world's first smart grid city in terms of electricity.
1:14 p.m. Obama says his administration has done more to advance the cause of health care in 30 days than was done in the past 14 years.
1:10 p.m. Obama says recovery plan is important because it puts Americans to work doing the work America needs done in critical areas.
1:08 p.m. Obama says we are here today to begin the work of keeping the American dream alive.
1:07 p.m. Obama says it is great to be back in Denver and "we had a good time."
1:05 p.m. Obama shows enthusiasm as he acknowledges special guests. He does mispronounce Rep. Diana DeGette's name while listing off the Democratic members of Congress from Colorado.
1:04 p.m. Jones introduces Obama to standing ovation.
1:03 p.m. Jones says green jobs benefit everyone.
12:58 p.m. Blake Jones, the president the new energy company that installed solar panels on the DMNS and governor's mansion, introduced by Biden. Jones talks about how the Stimulus Bill is giving his business new hope. Projects for his business have been on hold over last six months because of slowdown, but now has plans to increase his workforce.
12:52 p.m. In his usual off-the-cuff style, Biden acknowledges the presence of Colorado Democratic members of Congress and thanks Mayor Hickenlooper for hospitality. Biden smiles from time to time on stage while Obama continues to look serious and business-like, gazing down from time to time and nodding in agreement at other moments.
12:50 p.m. Ritter introduces VP Biden.
12:47 p.m. Ritter thanks Obama for creating jobs, investing in education and believing in promise of Colorado to move nation forward. Ritter calls Colorado home of the new energy economy.
12:44 p.m. President Obama introduced and takes the stage with Vice President Biden, Gov. Bill Ritter and other special guests. Ritter delivers remarks.
12:39 p.m. A local pool reporter said it was "cold on the roof" as Obama was given a tour of the solar panels here at the DMNS. The weather has been sunny, but breezy all day. Obama's expected on stage shortly.
12:33 p.m. Aides do more work to prepare stage by placing the Stimulus Bill on the desk for his signing. Final press pool arriving now, commenting on small size of room.
12:29 p.m. Salazar talks about how Colorado will benefit from the new energy investments in the Stimulus Bill. He ends his remarks to cheers and clapping. An aide then comes on stage and places the presidential seal on the podium. Stars and Stripes Forever now playing on the PA.
12:23 p.m. The Pledge and National Anthem are recited and sung as the official program begins. There is then a prayer and Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar takes the stage to deliver remarks.
12:15 p.m. Obama and Biden arrive at the DMNS to tour solar panels before speeches and bill signing.
12:10 p.m. Republicans rally at the State Capitol to protest all the so-called pork spending in the $787 billion stimulus bill.
11:55 a.m. Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb is among those being interviewed by reporters on the edge of the invited guest seating area. Media looking to get time with any one willing to talk.
11:45 a.m. Obama gets off Air Force One. Motorcade leaves for DMNS.
11:32 a.m. Air Force One lands at Buckley.
11:27 a.m. Vice President Joe Biden arrives at Buckley AFB ahead of President Obama. They'll both motorcade to museum and tour facility before signing event.
11:20 a.m. Some of traveling press corps arrives. They have food in their special area along with big screen TV tuned to CNN and lots of space. Announcement just made for everyone to turn off their cell phones.
11:08 a.m. Invited guests appear to be most a who's who of Colorado Democrats.
11:04 a.m. Democratic Party Chair for Colorado Pat Waak also at the event. Romer told Rick Sallinger he's here as former governor. Talked about how bad the financial situation is in California and that he's not there any more.
10:51 a.m. Invited guests so far include former Gov. Roy Romer and the Speaker of the Colorado House and Colorado Senate President.
10:50 a.m. CBS4 finally in the DMNS and plugged in. A blue backdrop with American flags is at the back of the stage which has a podium and sign that says "Making America Work." There is also a desk, apparently for bill signing.
10:46 a.m. Air Force One is scheduled to land at Buckley Air Force Base at about 11:30 a.m. A motorcade will take Obama to the museum. Before signing the $787 billion stimulus bill, Obama will tour the museum's solar panel installation to highlight the boost he hopes the measure will give to renewable energy. The museum has 465 solar panels mounted on its roof capable of producing about 100 kilowatts of electricity.
10:42 a.m. CBS4's bloggers are writing about Obama's visit.
Gloria Neal poses the question "Can a "celebritician" be a good president ...or is there no room for paparrazi in the presidency?" in her latest entry.
Dominic Dezzutti is curious: "Is Denver's Museum of Nature & Science really the place to sign the economic stimulus plan?"
10:39 a.m. Colorado Republicans are planning a protest rally at the state Capitol to coincide with the signing. The state GOP ran full-page ads in today's editions of the Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post criticizing the bill as pork-laden and ineffective. See
state GOP chair Dick Wadhams talking about that on the CBS4 Morning News today.
10:26 a.m. We don't know how they did it, but a group of "snow artists" made a big tribute to Obama high up on Loveland Pass on the day before his arrival. (
Full story & pics)
10:22 a.m. What will the traffic impact be with the president coming to Denver? Watch CBS4 Traffic Specialist Lynn Carey's
video preview of the delays that are expected. No roads are expected to be closed.
10:20 a.m. In case you missed it, the museum is closed today. See their
official posting on the Denver Museum of Nature & Science's site. However, the museum says the "Spring Educators Night scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening will still go on as planned."
10:05 a.m. It's a long wait for media-types and invited guests outside the museum. The two groups are in two different lines.
9:40 a.m.: Reporters have gathered on the north side of the museum, waiting for the security sweep to finish before going inside. Denver police are blocking some of the roadways in City Park and around the museum. President Obama is flying to Denver right now on Air Force One.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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