Air Force One landed at Forbes Field Air National Guard Base at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday evening. President Barack Obama will speak at Kansas University Thursday morning.

Gov. Sam Brownback was waiting at the base of the stairs to greet Obama. They shook hands and had what observers in the press pool described as a “relatively prolonged, animated and friendly looking chat.”

Other greeters were Col. Ronald Krueger, wing commander, and Topeka Mayor Larry Wolgast.

Obama’s motorcade left Forbes about 7:40 p.m. and arrived at about 8:15 at the Lawrence Holiday Inn, 200 McDonald Drive, where about 200 people had gathered in anticipation of his arrival.

After his speech Thursday morning, Obama may visit one or more locations around Lawrence. One possibility is the Community Children’s Center, 925 Vermont St., said director Carolyn Kelly.
Kelly said she was contacted by White House officials who informed her the center is on a list of destinations Obama may visit. Nothing has yet been confirmed, she said Wednesday evening.
“From my understanding typically an advanced team will come in and look around, which has happened,” she said. “But nothing affirmative has gone past that.”
Kelly said although nothing has been confirmed, the center would be honored to host the president.
“It would be a great recognition because he is so supportive of early childhood education,” she said. “And for him to come to our program would just be a kind of dream.”

Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self hopes he gets to shake Obama’s hand on Thursday.
“Hopefully we are going to get lucky and have a chance to run into him, just like I’m sure everybody else is hoping they can, too,” Self said Wednesday night, declining to discuss any scenarios of he and his players possibly meeting Obama before or after the president’s speech in Anschutz Sports Pavilion.
The only thing known for sure on Wednesday was Obama would be speaking in the building next to Allen Fieldhouse that is site of KU indoor football workouts and indoor track meets.
Individuals who work in the fieldhouse and Wagnon Student Athlete Center will be allowed to report to work Thursday.
“If folks want to come in they can. We’re encouraging them if they are not going to the speech they might want to think about coming in at 2 in the afternoon rather than the usual time just to avoid traffic and the adjustments made in the normal traffic patterns,” KU associate athletic director Jim Marchiony said.
The Booth Family Hall of Athletics, which is connected to Allen Fieldhouse, will be closed until 1 p.m.
“The bottom line is if you don’t have a ticket to the speech, the best thing to do is just stay away because all the parking in the adjacent area will be on lockdown and you are not going to be able to see anything anyway, so it’s best just to stay away,” Marchiony said.
Secret Service agents have been working with Brad Nachtigal, KU associate AD/Operations and Capital Projects, and his staff the past several days, inspecting all corners of Anschutz and the neighboring buildings.
Marchiony said the athletic department was happy to oblige. He said everyone is looking forward to Obama’s appearance.
“This is the President of the United States. You don’t often get to work on a project that involves the President of the United States,” Marchiony said. “Yes it’s additional work, but it’s also a terrific experience for everyone involved.”

The person in charge of the visit for KU is Charlie Persinger, director for university ceremonies and special events. KU spokesman Jack Martin said arrangements for the trip were a vast undertaking that involved hundreds if not thousands of people at the university.
University officials are not sure how KU was chosen for the event, Martin said. The White House contacted KU.
“They felt that the university would be an appropriate venue for the sort of event they were wanting to hold. We’re fortunate to be chosen,” Martin said.