President Barack Obama ended his trip to Atlanta around 2:30 p.m. Thursday after making two stops in Decatur to push his plans for improving access to early childhood education. See our minute-by-minute recap of the president’s day and the photos capturing the event.
2:34 p.m.: Air Force One lifts off from Dobbins.
2:25 p.m.: Obama's motorcade has arrived at Dobbins. He boards Air Force One, gives a final wave and disappears into the plane.
2:20 p.m.: From WSB Radio’s Traffic Center: Presidential motorcade heading back up I-75/nb to Delk Rd. Expect heavy delays on I-75/85/nb from I-20 to Brookwood; I-75/nb from Brookwood to Delk Rd.; and I-285 in both directions approaching I-75 in Cobb Co.
2:13 p.m.: Looking ahead to an evening with the first lady, Obama joked it was easier to find flowers for her with the Rose Garden nearby. He also quipped to parents with young children that they one day will grow up and not have as much time for you “with sleepovers and dates.” He paused after “dates” for laughter. The first daughters are Sasha, 11, and Malia, 14.
2:03 p.m.: We’re hearing there is a lot of activity around the Varsity, which is on the president’s route back to Dobbins. Wonder if Obama has a hankering for a naked dog? Or maybe all of the exits are being blocked to clear the way back to Cobb. We’ll keep you posted.
1:51 p.m.: Here’s a recap of the what the president told the crowd at the Decatur Recreation Center, according to reporter Nancy Badertscher:
Pre-k was his focus, though he provided little detail. Here’s some of what he said.
The President reiterating the theme of his State of the Union address that a thriving middle class is critical. He said there needs to be “shared responsibility” for giving every American the chance to earn the skills and education they need.”
“We are not doing enough to give all our kids a chance,” he said, pointing out that only 3 in 10 children are enrolled in high quality pre-k nationally.
He said his concern is that middle-class parents can’t afford a few hundred dollars a week for child care; the families of poor children even less.
Without providing early education, “we all pay a price,” the president said. “The achievement gap starts very young. It’s very hard ot catch up.”
He praised Georgia and Oklahoma as states that have gotten “good bang for your education buck” and have committed to early education even in tough times.
“The size of your paycheck shouldn’t determine your child’s future,” he said.
1:46 p.m.: Obama ends his 15-minute remarks and is now shaking hands.
1:45 p.m.: Obama says well-educated citizens will attract new businesses to the area and those citizens will have the critical thinking they need to prosper.
1:43 p.m.: Obama says his administration is working to recruit 100,000 new high-quality teachers and redesign high schools to meet the educational needs of the future. “We’ve worked to make college more affordable to students and families….but taxpayers can’t keep subsidizing colleges.”
1:37 p.m.: Obama praises what he saw at College Heights. “This is not babysitting. This is teaching.” He also notes Decatur early childhood education is combining kids from different backgrounds. “All the kids are being leveled up.”
1:35 p.m: Obama says “we’re not doing enough” to give all children access to a preschool education. He wants to make high-quality preschool available to “every child in America.”
1:29 p.m.: Obama emerges to loud cheers and applause. “Hello, everybody. It is great to be in Georgia, treat to be in Decatur. I can’t imagine a more romantic way to spend Valentines.”
1:28 p.m.: President Obama has arrived at the rec center and is being introduced by Teacher of the Year Mary McMahon, who exclaimed, “I just talked to the president.”
1:25 p.m.: Former U.S. Senate Max Cleland has arrived at the rec center. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Bobby Cagle, who heads the state’s pre-k program, are now in the room.
1:19 p.m.: Maureen Downey at rec center: “He must be here. Decatur Board of Education hastily rushing outside, presuming to greet Obama as he enters.”
1:08 p.m.: College Heights Teacher of the Year Mary McMahon will introduce Obama.
1:05 p.m. The governor’s office says Gov. Nathan Deal will not be present to hear Obama’s speech at the recreation center. DeKalb’s interim schools chief, Michael Thurmond, is expected to meet with him.
12:54 p.m. The crowd at the recreation center is standing for the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem. Monica Nelson, the Renfroe Middle School music teacher, is singing the “Star Spangled Banner.”
12:44 p.m.: At the College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center in Decatur, the president entered a classroom with 16 kids and three teachers. One group was on tablet computers. Most of the kids seemed more enthralled with the boom mics and television cameras than the president in their midst.
Obama was welcomed warmly by the first group, as he assisted them in building a “sculpture” with blocks. When he added a pink block, Obama exclaimed, “It fits.” At one point he gave a fist bump to a young boy — complete with exploding hand gesture when releasing the bump. The child was quite amused.
Moving on, he joined a game where the children looked through magnifying glasses to identify an object in the middle of their table. “So this is sort of like I Spy,” the president said. “I remember I Spy.”
Obama hammed it up a bit for the kids, making funny faces through his magnifying glass. The children correctly identified a box, a cat and a bat.
While one kid, perhaps coached, greeted Obama with “Welcome Mr. President,” another asked “Are you our teacher?” And a third said, “I’ve seen you on TV.”
The school is currently on winter break, so the children were brought in under special circumstances for the presidential visit.
12:40 p.m. Many in the crowded Decatur Recreation Center are on their feet and cheering as at least 65 teachers from Decatur City Schools file in. They’re lining up on risers and will be backdrop for the president when he speaks.
12:30 p.m.: With Van Halen’s “Jump” playing in the background, the crowd is loud and lively at the Decatur Recreation Center. It’s a packed house, Maureen Downey reports. “Now, people are being led to the new walking track above the gym floor. Best view in the house.”
12:08 p.m.: The motorcade had a brisk commute to Decatur down blocked-off I-75 and I-20. Unclear whether POTUS waved to the governor as he passed the Gold Dome. Upon exiting the interstate, the local streets had many cheering gawkers for the motorcade, including a few holding large red hearts in honor of Saint Valentine. Motorcade then arrived at College Heights Early Childhood Center.
12:05 p.m. Some state lawmakers have arrived at the recreation center and are mingling with the crowd of parents and students who have seats on the gym floor. They include state Rep. Calvin Smyre, a Democrat from Columbus, state Rep. Karla Drenner, a Democrat from Decatur, and state Sen. Steve Henson, a Democrat from Tucker.
12 p.m.: Motorcade now on I-20 eastbound at Boulevard.
11:55 a.m.: Southbound traffic moving again on I-75 in Cobb County.
11:50: p.m.: Decatur teachers just found out that the White House wants some of them on stage during the president’s speech at the recreation center.
11:50 a.m.: At Dobbins, Obama was greeted on the tarmac by Col. Steven Clayton, the operations group commander at Dobbins, and by Senior Airman Tumyra Byron. He briefly chatted with them before moving over to a crowd of about 75 invited guests, cameras at the ready. “Happy Valentine’s Day everybody,” the president said. “Gentlemen, don’t forget. You’ll get in trouble.” No notable local pols or dignitaries were spotted at Dobbins.
11:47 a.m.: Presidential motorcade is heading down I-75/sb to I-75/85/sb to I-20/eb. It will head to Decatur from there. Expect heavy delays on I-75/sb in Cobb Co., on I-285 in both directions approaching I-75, and on I-20/eb into DeKalb Co.
11:43 a.m.: The president’s motorcade is leaving Dobbins and headed toward I-75.
11:38 p.m: President Obama emerges from Air Force One, descends the plane to greet a welcoming party of military officials and greets an awaiting crowd.
11:28 a.m.: Air Force One just touched down at Dobbins.
11:03 a.m. The president’s visit to Decatur Recreational Center is still more than two hours away, but the gym is already filled with invited guests, media and Secret Service, according to reporter Nancy Badertscher. Red, white and blue banners and American flags pepper the stage area. One banner says “Preschool for all.”
10:55 p.m.: WSB Radio Traffic Center reports police are prepared to shut down I-75, both inside and outside the Perimeter, and on I-285 East. The president’s route to Decatur is not being released.
10:40 a.m.: Pool reporters say Obama running about 15 minutes late. That would put him at Dobbins around 11:45 a.m.
Staff writers Daniel Malloy, Nancy Badertscher, Mike Morris, Get Schooled blogger Maureen Downey, Christopher Seward and Joel Provano contributed to this report.
