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President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will be in Portsmouth on Friday, Sept. 7.AP photo
September 03, 2012 2:00 AM
PORTSMOUTH — On Friday, President Barack Obama will make a historic campaign stop at Strawbery Banke, where he will be the first president since George Washington to visit the South End living museum.
The Obama for America campaign on Sunday officially confirmed the president, Vice President Joe Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden will be appearing at the Strawbery Banke Museum.
The Portsmouth Herald first reported on Thursday the president was expected to make a campaign stop in Portsmouth. The visit represents Obama's first campaign event following this week's Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., where Obama will officially accept his party's nomination.
Obama for America officials announced that Portsmouth is the first stop in a multi-state campaign effort as the contest between the president and Republican candidate Mitt Romney ramps up, with just over two months until election day.
The Obamas and the Bidens will all travel together to Portsmouth and then to Iowa for a second campaign event on Friday. On Saturday, Sept. 8, and Sunday, Sept. 9, Obama will travel to Florida for campaign events and Biden will travel to Ohio, the campaign announced.
The campaign did not release additional details Sunday. A campaign official said ticket distribution and logistical information would be announced in the coming days.
Larry Yerdon, president of Strawbery Banke, said the living history museum is sure to provide a fitting backdrop for the president's campaign speech. He said a campaign official told him that once the campaign saw pictures of Strawbery Banke, they knew "this is the place."
Strawbery Banke presents four centuries of American history, told by the characters who lived in one of New Hampshire's oldest waterfront neighborhoods. Yerdon said it is a place of both ordinary people, such as artisans, sailors and shop owners, and some of the most famous figures in American history, such as Paul Revere and John Paul Jones.
"It's seen a lot of history," he said.
Yerdon said the last president who visited Strawbery Banke was also the nation's first president, George Washington. He said Washington delivered a speech in Portsmouth and visited Strawbery Banke to meet with John Stavers, the owner of Pitt Tavern who, like Washington, was a member of the Masons. The first Masonic Lodge in New Hampshire was at Strawbery Banke, he said.
Yerdon said he did not know what time the president was expected to arrive at Strawbery Banke. Obama's campaign rented the campus for the entire day, he said.
He would not say how much they paid for the site, but confirmed it was "the standard fee that we charge everybody." Strawbery Banke offers site rentals for everything from small private gatherings to weddings and large corporate events.
With a vintage and fine wine-tasting event, which typically attracts 1,000 patrons, slated for the day following Obama's visit, Yerdon said it will be a busy time for Strawbery Banke.
"We're going to have a busy week, but we're happy," he said. "It's an exciting time for Portsmouth. It's great that the president has chosen to come here."
City officials were either not available or declined comment Sunday, but Obama's visit is sure to present some logistical challenges. A source has told the Portsmouth Herald the president's appearance would include two separate motorcades, and last week, City Councilor Ken Smith said the White House requested the campaign event be held in Market Square. Due to numerous security requirements, he and other city officials suggested Prescott Park as a more suitable location.
This is Obama's third trip to the region in recent months. In June, he spoke at Oyster River High School in Durham and in August, he spoke at campaign events in Windham and Rochester.
New Hampshire is considered a "battleground state" in the upcoming election. The New York Times recently listed it among eight toss-up states based on polling, previous elections and political geography.
Mayor Eric Spear could not be reached for an interview Sunday, but he provided the following comment on Obama's visit: "This will be a very historic event in a very historic place. What more could you ask for?"
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