President Barack Obama arrived at T.F. Green Airport on Thursday night for his third visit to Rhode Island as president.
The president was greeted by Gov. Lincoln Chafee, Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian and all four members of Rhode Island's congressional delegation on the tarmac. They spoke for a few minutes before Obama got in his limousine.
Obama stayed the night at the Omni Hotel in Providence. He will be the first president in more than 50 years to sleep in Rhode Island. The presidential motorcade rolled past the main entrance of the hotel as the president went in through another entrance. Dozens of spectators gathered on the sidewalk across the street to see the motorcade. West Exchange Street, directly in front of the hotel, is closed to traffic through the night.
The president is scheduled to deliver a speech about the economy Friday morning at Rhode Island College.
Obama arrived in Rhode Island about 30 minutes behind schedule. He traveled from Portland, Maine, where he campaigned with Mike Michaud, a Democratic candidate for governor.
President Barack Obama Friday plans to focus on the economy in a speech at Rhode Island College in Providence. Obama's visit comes in the closing days of the fall campaign but the White House says this is an official visit and not a campaign stop. He has endorsed gubernatorial hopeful Gina Raimondo.
And Obama wants women to know what his administration is doing to help them succeed.
Four days before midterm elections in which Obama's fellow Democrats need a big turnout from female voters.
Before the address, Obama planned to discuss these policies with working parents, small-business owners and students and faculty at Rhode Island College.
Obama was supposed to give this speech in Rhode Island last week. He put it off to stay at the White House to focus on cases of Ebola in the U.S.