This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Barack Obama swung into the Beehive State for some 15 hours last week as part of a push for more clean-energy jobs, but only small numbers of Utahns actually saw the president in person.
Is it usual for presidential trips to be so low profile?
Presidential visits, usually whirlwind events announced only days before, vary in their openness, and it's often difficult to snag a ticket to see the commander in chief or even know where to look for his motorcade. Obama's only events in Utah were closed to the public, and residents — save for key officeholders and a few other lucky spectators — had virtually no chance to see him.
Was this trip typical?
Short answer: Yes. Utah actually was fortunate that the president spent the night here, given that a lot of his appearances in other states involve a quick, in-and-out visit. Before arriving in Utah, Obama spent less than two hours in Louisville, Ky., to see a technology company and make brief remarks. That tour and remarks were also closed to the public.
Unlike election years — when large rallies are held to showcase broad support — presidential events usually are by invitation only, with tickets offered to elected officials, party bigwigs and, of course, donors.
Is there a secret to finding the right spot to see a president during a visit?
Yes, but it's a gamble. Scores of Utahns lined Salt Lake City streets or nearby freeways to catch glimpses of the presidential motorcade, a move that's part playing the odds and part strategic planning. When it was clear Obama was staying at the Sheraton Salt Lake City, with the dump trucks and buses providing security barriers, some fans staked out spots nearby and lucked into seeing the presidential fleet (though, perhaps, not the president himself) zip by. Many waited for hours and had he taken another route, their efforts would have been a bust.
One could always try to book a room at the same hotel where the president might be staying, though that could prove fruitless, too. Obama came through the lobby of the Sheraton on Thursday night and greeted several Utah Democrats and guests at the hotel before proceeding to a private meeting with top Mormon leaders. But the president could have just as easily stayed out of public view. Others at the hotel scored some fleeting face time with the commander in chief on Friday morning before he left for Hill Air Force Base.
Have presidential public appearances become more closed over time?
You bet. In 1837, President Andrew Jackson hauled a 1,400-pound block of cheese into the White House and invited Americans to munch on the cheddar while he and his staff answered questions and concerns. In the early 1800s, you could walk into the White House and ask for an audience with the president.
No more.
For obvious security reasons, most people who get near a president at a scheduled event are invited to do so and undergo strict screening.
Presidents, on occasion, will pop over to a sandwich or coffee shop or work a rope line to greet well-wishers but chances of being in the right spot for that can be like winning a lottery.
If the trips are so scripted, why do presidents make such visits?
A president who never left the White House could be labeled as aloof to real Americans' concerns. After all, Obama was feeling some heat that he hadn't yet visited Utah during his presidency. Look for South Dakota, the only remaining state with that distinction, to start cranking up the pressure now. In addition, a president would look uncaring or overtly partisan if he dropped by only the places where he's popular. This year, Obama has set out to visit Republican strongholds in an effort to highlight policies in those places that GOP members of Congress oppose.
While Utahns may be bummed they didn't get to see the president, except on TV, they can take heart: Only a small percentage of America's 320 million people have actually seen him in person. Even in Washington, where the president lives, residents don't get much of a chance to see him, though motorcades are more ubiquitous there. There are exceptions. Last year, Obama shunned the armored vehicles and took a spontaneous stroll to the Interior Department building for a speech, and several lucky tourists and residents got to say hi.
There's that word again: luck.