Obama in Tampa: Live updates

Fresh off his State of the Union speech, President Barack Obama was at the University of Tampa for a town-hall meeting.

3:06 p.m., University of Tampa, Mayor liked rail comments
Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio said she feels the president addressed key issues and spoke directly to the concerns of residents.

Iorio said Obama "was right on target" about high speed rail.

"We can't lose sight of long-term investments'' Iorio said, "and that's what high speed rail is all about. It is the start of a web of modern transportation.''

Ray Reyes

2:42 p.m., University of Tampa, Wrapping up

Obama has just finished speaking and is making the rounds shaking hands with the people on stage. Among those he greeted were the Tampa Fire Rescue firefighters who just returned from Haiti and whom he recognized before he even started his speech.

Obama and Biden are also walking through the crowd to shake hands.

Ray Reyes

2:11 p.m., University of Tampa, Rebuild America

Wrapping up his speech, the president said everyone should be ready to roll up their sleeves and play their part in rebuilding America.

A man in the crowd shouted, "Yes, we can."

Obama smiled and responded, "Yes, we can."

He then took off his jacket and started taking questions from the audience.

Obama is now answering a question about high-speed rail, with input from Biden. Such a system would cut down on traffic congestion, be better for the environment, and people would be able to relax and travel in style, Obama and Biden said.

1:46 p.m., University of Tampa, Go to the pool

Kayla Maley, 18, and a freshman from Massachusetts, isn't a big Obama fan but wanted to come because the president was at the school. She waited five hours on Wednesday to get a ticket and lined up this morning a couple blocks from the door.

But when she got about 100 feet away, she was turned away.

Kirsten May, 18, a freshman from Connecticut, also isn't a huge supporter but did want to get it.
"I just wanted to see him," she said. "I'm pretty disappointed but I'll probably go to the pool instead."

Keith Morelli

1:31 p.m., University of Tampa, Another turned away

Alice Ortlieb, 20, a junior at University of Tampa, also was turned away after waiting in line since 10:30 a.m. That's in addition to waiting seven hours on Wednesday to get her ticket.

She said hundred people were turned away.

"He was the first president I ever voted for. I helped get him into office, and it's heartbreaking that I can't see him," she said.

People turned away and directed to the stadium have not seen video of the president, just the audio of the speech over the stadium speakers.

-- Josh Poltilove

1:30 p.m., University of Tampa, the president is introduced

When Obama was introduced, the crowd at the Bob Martinez Sports Center let out a deafening roar. One woman wearing a Barack shirt pumped her arms up and down in the "raise the roof" gesture.

Obama then introduced some VIPs includig Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, University of Tampa administrators and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Tony Dungy.

-- Ray Reyes

1:15 p.m., University of Tampa, Turned away

Christine Kreplick, Clearwater, - said she was personally invited by the White House to come, got in line at 10 a.m. and was turned away. "I'm not happy. I'm not happy. I'm not necessarily a supporter but I'm kind of an observer."

About 30 people are inside the stadium.

-- Josh Poltilove

1:14 p.m. University of Tampa, Joe Biden begins the event

Joe Biden has just been introduced and has taken the stage.

He told the crowd he hoped they watched the president's speech last night because Obama "laid down with clarity and power what we've done and what we're going to do."

And the crowd goes wild.

-- Ray Reyes

1:07 p.m., University of Tampa, They got the tickets, but not the seat

Hundreds who had tickets were turned away. Tampa Fire Marshall Russell Spicola, who is on site and other fire inspectors determined the building was at capacity. At least 2,600 people were inside the building, according to "Tampa Fire Rescue Capt. Bill Wade. "Whoever got inside is in. No more people will be allowed in."

-- Josh Poltilove

12:59 p.m. University of Tampa, Overflow

An overflow crowd has been sent to UT's stadium. Apparently the fire marshal made the decision the sports complex was as full as it could be.

-- Josh Poltilove

12:55 p.m., University of Tampa, Rescuers have been seated

Tampa Fire Rescue's Lt. Roger Picard and Lt. Brian Smithey have just taken their seats on the stage.

The two firefighters and their search and rescue canines returned from Haiti this week, helping an international team look for survivors.

Picard and Smithey helped find seven people buried under debris and rescued them alive.

With less than 20 minutes to go, a hush has gone over the crowd as a UT student gives an invocation.
The national anthem and the pledge of allegiance is next on the program.

-- Ray Reyes

12:47 p.m. University of Tampa, Motorcade has come and gone

Now coming down Kennedy Boulevard: President Obama. As the motorcade passes by, protesters screaming "can you hear us now?" and other chants. They're representing Fair Tax, anti-rail and others. Traffic is opening up again and barricades are coming down.

-- Josh Poltilove

12:45 p.m. MacDill Air Force Base, touring the hangar

President Obama poked his head deep inside the turbine engine of a parked KC-135 Stratotanker, and nodded in approval as mechanics pointed out vital parts opened for repair.

There an open cowling. There a hydraulic line.

Behind him, Vice President Biden shook hands with smiling Airmen and dignitaries standing on the highly polished floors of Hangar 2 of MacDill Air Force Base.

This began the one-day visit to Tampa. The goal: promote a high-speed rail stimulus project across Florida.

"Thank you," the president said to Senior Airman Dave Griffin of Macon, Ga., part of the maintenance crew.

Later, Griffin admitted the president looked younger than he does on TV, and rubbing his forehead said "I joined the Air Force to better myself. I surely never thought I'd have the opportunity to meet and shake hands with the President."

Crews were part of the 6th Air Mobility Wing, the 927th Air Refueling Wing and the 45th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron.

After greeting some other public visitors, the 25-car motorcade left at about noon for an event at the University of Tampa.

The motorcade just left. Both Obama and Biden toured a hangar, introduced themselves to some airmen, poked their heads in a giant airplane engine. The motorcade consists of 25 cars.

-- Rich Mullins

12:23 p.m. University of Tampa, Anticipation

In anticipation of Obama's arrival, police are setting up barricades at Kennedy Boulevard and North Boulevard. The 100 or so protesters are split, half on once side of the street, half on the other. Police cars are blocking Kennedy now, backing up what traffic was there.

-- Josh Poltilove

12:10 p.m. MacDill Air Force Base, Greetings

President Obama bounds down the steps from the plane, greeting Biden. He shook hands with Gov. Charlie Crist and gave Alex Sink a hug and a kiss.

12:06 p.m. University of Tampa, Getting in the spirit

The arena is now filling to capacity as a UT jazz band plays the Sonny Rollins classic "St. Thomas."

Chants of "Barack! Obama! Joe! Biden!" ripple through the "cheap" seats, the bleachers on the side of the arena.

-- Ray Reyes

12:04 p.m., MacDill Air Force Base, POTUS on the ground

Air Force One has touched down at MacDill. He'll spend time here before heading to University of Tampa.

Noon, MacDill Air Force Base, Biden has arrived

Vice President Joe Biden has landed and is shaking hands right now. In addition to Crist and Mayor Pam Iorio, state CFO and gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink are awaiting Obama's arrival.

-- Rich Mullins

11:50 a.m. University of Tampa, VIPs spotted

Former Florida Education Commissioner (and mother of a certain member of Congress) Betty Castor, City Council members John Dingfelder and Linda Saul-Sena, attorney Barry Cohen, high-speed rail super-advocate Ed Turanchik, and County Commissioner Rose Ferlita

-- Josh Poltilove and Keith Morelli

11:45 a.m. MacDill Air Force Base, Charlie and the politics of being seen with POTUS

As we've reported, Gov. Charlie Crist is not going to University of Tampa for the president's town-hall meeting; instead, he's going to USF for the Board of Governors meeting, an announcement and unveiling of higher education budget.

On critics who say he doesn't want to appear too close to Obama, he said:

"If that were true, I wouldn't be here right now. I'm pleased to welcome the president back to Florida. I think it's important to work together as much as we can. We don't agree on everything, but we agree when it comes to fighting for jobs for my fellow Floridians, I have a duty as Governor to fight for these jobs, and damn it, I'm going to do just that."

On what Crist says he wants to tell Obama: "One, I want to thank him on behalf of fellow Floridians for his help with high speed rail. To be able to generate tens of thousands now is mission one."

"Two, more bipartisanship...."

"Three. Race to the Top funding for education. -- we're one of the top competitors for that."

-- Rich Mullins

11:21 a.m. MacDill Air Force Base, For the people

Regarding appearing with Obama, Gov. Charlie Crist says he wants more bipartisanship and adds that he has "a duty to fight for every job in Florida, and damn it, I'm going to do just that."

-- Rich Mullins

11:10 a.m. University of Tampa - Inside with a county commissioner

Local elected officials have front-and-center seats for Obama's appearance.

County Commissioner Kevin Beckner said he wants to hear specific plans on how the federal government will work with local municipalities to ease the effects of the recession.

"I want to hear about jobs and the economy," Beckner said.

Beckner said he's also keen to hear the president's plan for a high speed rail system and how that would create an interconnected mass transit system for Tampa, Orlando and Miami.

"It's not just about a train," Beckner said. "It's about the complete package."

-- Ray Reyes

11:08 a.m. University of Tampa, An entrepreneur and a captive audience

Standing amongst the group of protesters holding anti-Obama signs was Eric Atwater, 35, of St. Petersburg. His sign isn't an anti-Obama sign though, it's an advertisement for cookies. He's handing out free Obama Crunch cookies, a blend of coconut, oatmeal and walnut.

He has been selling these cookies for 20 years and they were called Hurricane Crunch, but he made a bet with himself that if Obama won the presidency he'd call them Obama Crunch. And by the way, it's his birthday. A sticker on each individually wrapped cookie is background on him and how to order more. He bets he's given away 1,000 cookies today.

-- Josh Poltilove

11 a.m. MacDill Air Force Base: Yes, Charlie is here

Gov. Charlie Crist, facing a damned-if-he-does, damned-if-he-doesn't dilemma over whether to meet today with President Barack Obama, has come up with a compromise - he'll greet Obama at MacDill Air Force Base, out of sight of the public, but won't go to the president's town hall meeting at the University of Tampa.

Reporter Rich Mullins says Crist has just arrived at MacDill.

Crist is suffering politically from the results of having appeared on stage with Obama in Fort Myers last year to advocate the economic stimulus plan last year. Opponents are making hay of a photo and video of him embracing Obama on stage at that event, and he doesn't need another such photo out there.

At the same time, it would seem craven to snub the president coming to Florida to announce a major grant for a project Crist favors, high-speed rail. That's particularly true because Crist has to be in Tampa today anyway to announce new members of the university system board of governors at a ceremony at USF.

"For some Floridians, greeting Obama is a sign of putting politics aside, and they want that," said University of South Florida political scientist Susan MacManus. "On the other side, some Republicans see it as a sign of endorsing Obama's economic policies."

Crist's Senate opponent, Marco Rubio, has already come out against the $13 billion rail program Obama will announce today, including the $1.25 billion for Florida's $2.5 billion program.

William March

10:54 a.m. MacDill Air Force Base

Mayor Pam Iorio is in the house - make that on the tarmac. Military and police are standing around and there are 50 motorcycles lined up. Dogs are sniffing bags, men standing around with guns and a friendly Secret Service staff member is handing out the magic stickers that grants the media access.

-- Rich Mullins

10:46 a.m. Town-hall time change

A new White House advisory says the town-hall meeting will start at 1:05 p.m. instead of 12:30. Here's the members of Congress will be on Air Force One with Obama: Tampa's Rep. Kathy Castor; Rep. Alan Grayson; Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Rep. Kendrick Meek.

Upon arrival at MacDill Air Force Base, the president will be greeted by Gov. Charlie Crist, state Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, and Col. Larry Martin, MacDill Wing Commander.

At the beginning of the event, here are the local people who will speak or sing:

• Stephanie Holtz, University of Tampa's Associate Dean of Students and the Director of the Office of Student Leadership and Engagement, will deliver the Invocation.

• Sofía Cárdenas, 7, and Susannah Wertz, 9, both students at St. Mary's Episcopal Day School in Tampa, will lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

• Melissa Steiner, a senior at the University of Tampa, will sing the National Anthem.

10:37 a.m. Guests of honor

Two members of Tampa Fire Rescue's urban search-and-rescue teams, who helped rescue seven people, including a 7-year-old girl, in Haiti will be among the guests of honor at the town-hall meeting. They will be seated next to Vice President Joe Biden.

10:30 a.m., University of Tampa, Line finally to main entrance

The end finally made it to the main entrance to the campus - to the Vaughn Center - just outside there. People are starting to line up on the edge of Poe Parkway.
-- Josh Poltilove

10:25 a.m., University of Tampa, Inside the sports center...

VIP guests and the media have just been allowed into the Bob Martinez center. It's rather sparse now, but groups of people are continuing to stream through the doors. Secret Service agents are amid the crowd and occasionally put a finger up to their earpieces, just like they do in the movies.
-- Ray Reyes

10:19 a.m., University of Tampa, The end of the line - so far

The line is snaking through campus and now the end is at Alfred & Beverly Austin Hall at 110 Poe Parkway by Kennedy Boulevard.
-- Josh Poltilove

10:06 a.m., University of Tampa, Captive audience

U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek will be on Air Force One with the president this morning, but his volunteers are here working the line to get petition signatures so his name can be on the ballot for U.S. Senate. That way, he doesn't have to pay to get on the ballot.

"There's a crowd, so he thought this would be a good place to do it," said volunteer Laverne Showers of Orlando. So far she has gotten 35 people to sign the petition. She hopes to get 150 signatures by the end of the day. Showers said Meek needs 112,000 and is about halfway to that goal. About eight volunteers are out there, Showers said

-- Josh Poltilove

9:50 a.m., University of Tampa, Around the block

The line to get into complex stretches east on North B Street past North Brevard onto campus. The line is three to four people wide. People with blue tickets (elderly or handicapped) are being called to the front. The crowd predominantly in their 20s and 30s.

-- Keith Morelli

9:40 a.m., University of Tampa, Waiting

The first person in line is not the first person to arrive.

People started lining up in front of 3 doors at the Bob Martinez Sports Cneter. The first person to arrive showed up at 1:30 a.m.

Ashley Moreland, 21, a University of Tampa senior, took a peek over at the Bob Martinez Sports Center at 10:30 last night and saw no one there. At 1:30 a.m. Moreland, who lives on campus, came over with a blanket. Two other people showed up at 2 a.m. It was just the three of them in front of the building for three hours. She wrapped herself in the blanket and took a nap around 6:30 a.m. About 7 a.m., an announcement was made that the line started in a different spot - across the street from where they were. A bunch of people rushed to that location and she wound up 10th in line. She was No. 5 in line yesterday when tickets were distributed. "Why not try to get the best seat you can? People wait longer for Black Friday. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the president at your school," she said. She's an Obama backer and thinks hsr will be a boost to the economy.

The No. 1 person in the official line arrived at 7 a.m. - Thersa Denson of Denson Construction, who wants to get some of the rail business.

-- Josh Poltilove

7:45 a.m., University of Tampa, Freezing

Denson waited five hours in freezing temperatures to witness the president's inauguration so she appreciates the milder Florida weather.

The wait this morning should be much shorter.

"It was cold, too. Freezing cold. It snowed the night before. But he was well worth it," she said.

-- Jay Nolan

7 a.m., University of Tampa, Competition

Desire-Nicole Perry showed up to grab a place in line about 4 a.m. and found some competition for a spot.

"This morning it was chaos. People were pushing, shoving," she said.

Since, though, things calmed, even if the crowd looked a bit sparse.

"I thought there would be a lot more people here," said Kristina Cooper who was in line next to Perry.

Both women expected that to change.

-- Jay Nolan