BRISTOL, Va. – Wednesday won’t be Barack Obama’s first trip to Bristol, but it will be his first as President of the United States.
Obama kicked off his general election campaign at Virginia High School in June 2008, the same week that Hilary Clinton conceded the Democratic primary.
A year and a month after kicking off his general election campaign at Virginia High School, Obama will arrive in Bristol to talk about one of his biggest issues: health care. At 4 p.m. Wednesday he will host a grocery aisle Q&A with Kroger employees at the grocery store on Midway Street.
The president has been making similar stops around the country in recent weeks as he pushes Congress to adopt sweeping health care reforms.
At Wednesday’s event in Bristol, only store employees are invited, but on Sunday, they said they’re excited, and busy getting ready for the visit.
All 87 employees are working to get the place in ship shape for company execs, a national news audience and the President. They were touching up the paint on the ceiling and cleaning out the aisles a bit Sunday.
“I’m very excited, very honored to be a part of it,” store manager Rick Caldwell said Sunday. “From what I understand, we are the first retailer selected in the country to do a town hall meeting.”
He didn’t know, however, why that particular Kroger store was chosen for the visit.
Obama is expected to meet with the store employees for about an hour.
The meeting will be Obama’s second for the day. His first stop will be for a similar meeting open to a wider audience in Raleigh, N.C.
At the Kroger store Sunday, employees and shoppers were buzzing with the news. Employees weren’t allowed to speak to reporters about the visit.
“The employees are excited, very honored to be a part of this program,” Caldwell said.
But the shoppers were happy to talk about the visit, even if they won’t be participating in the meeting.
Shopper Cynthia Blevins said she is thrilled that the president will be at the store.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve met someone of that caliber,” Blevins said. “I had the privilege of marching in a parade one time for Lady Bird Johnson. That’s the closest I’ve come.”
Many also have been discussing the president’s efforts to reform the nation’s health care system.
“I’m sure he’s trying to do his very best,” said Freida Rainey, who also was shopping at the Kroger store Sunday. “And I’m sure that the Bristol residents will be very glad to see him.”
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