UPDATE 1:40 p.m. Monday, March 16th:
The Democratic Party of Orange County has sent the following message.
President Barack Obama’s first official visit to Orange County will be this Wednesday, March 18th at 4pm.
Here are the details:Town Hall Meeting:
Wednesday, March 18
Doors open at 1:30 pm
OC Fair – Building 12
88 Fair Drive, Costa CA 92626
Ticket Distribution Information:
This event is FREE and open to the public. Tickets are required and will be available at the following ticket distribution location begining at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, March 17. Tickets will be limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis:
OC Fair and Event Center
(Enter at Gate 1 and Gate 10; Park in Lot A)
88 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, CA
Anyone over the age of 16 can have 2 tickets; anyone under the age of 16 can have 1 ticket.
For security reasons, do not bring bags and limited personal items. No signs or banners permitted. The OC Fairgrounds will be charging $5 per car for on-site parking.
UPDATE 9:45 a.m. Monday, March 16th:
According to Total Buzz, it’s official. The event is at the Fair Grounds on Wednesday. They say free tickets will be distributed starting tomorrow at 10:00 am. The tickets are free, but you do pay for parking. For the event, and for ticket distribution, there will be heavy security. The Register does not mention what time the event is on Wednesday. I do know that there are some volunteer staffers who are obligated to be there all afternoon on Wednesday. Again, more details to follow as we learn them. –Bill Spaulding
UPDATE 7:00 p.m. Sunday, March 15th:
I just now (yes, 7.00 pm on Sunday evening) got off the phone with one of the advance people for the White House. Tomorrow the White House will be making the official announcement of the time and location. That’s it for now. – Bill Spaulding
Costa Mesa hasn’t had this much attention since it was where Tony Soprano paid it a visit in his imagination while recovering from a bullet wound on the popular TV series, but we’re waiitng to confirm details that President Obama’s first West Coast trip since being elected will be in this OC city.
Per Frank Barbaro and the Total Buzz blog, Obama may actually spend the night in OC before heading up to Los Angeles for a day of activities.
More details as we get them.
I was looking forward to going to downtown Santa Ana. I knew I wouldn’t the prez but I was still interested in the crowds and their reactions. I could also use MetroLink — a big plus.
The Fairgrounds for me will never happpen. I’m not going to make a special trip to get a ticket and then pay for parking when I will probably never see the prez only a bunch of Costa Mesa red-necks!
If the prez needs to impress the crazies in Costa Mesa maybe I need to rethink my opinion of him.