President Bush holds up a football jersey presented to him by Kansas State University Jon Wefald, right, at the 142nd Landon Lecture Monday, Jan. 23, 2006 in Manhattan, Kan.

MANHATTAN, KAN. ? Thousands of people streamed into Bramlage Coliseum this morning, waiting to hear President Bush deliver the Landon Lecture.

The crowd included hundreds of soldiers from nearby Ft. Riley and several dozen protesters who were roped off in an area beside the colliseum entrance.

One of those protesters was Danielle Richardson, a Kansas State student from Overland Park.

“We would like to see our troops come home,” she said.

But Army Spc. Cathleen Legare said she was ready to go to Iraq.

“That’s what we are trained for,” she said.

Bush was scheduled to speak at 11:30 a.m.

(See latest Associated Press story.)