Springfield Prepares For President Obama's Speech To General Assembly
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) -- President Barack Obama is about to take a trip down memory lane.
Nine years to the day after he announced he was running for president in Springfield, Obama will return to the state capitol Wednesday, perhaps to try to talk some sense into stubborn lawmakers.
CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports inside the state capitol, all is quiet as preparations for Barack Obama's Springfield return are underway.
"Lot of work, lot of last-minute work, lot of testing," said Steve Brown, House Speaker Mike Madigan's spokesman. "White House is very precise about making sure everything is double- and triple-checked."
Brown says the capitol will be on virtual lockdown beginning around 7:30 a.m. before President Obama's early afternoon speech in the house chambers.
"It's very exciting and everybody here is very excited, Republicans, Democrats" said Dave Jones, Director of the Illinois State Archives.
Many Springfield streets will be closed and cars towed for the president's late morning arrival.
Senate President John Cullerton wrote Obama a latter inviting him to visit Springfield.
Governor Bruce Rauner said it's an "honor" to have the president in Springfield.
"I am primarily going to focus on his thoughts on how we get compromise," Rauner said. "As a leader of the Democratic, how can I work with the Democratic legislature? Get his advice how can I get the Democrats around to getting reforms."
But compromise may not be in the cards.
"If the president has some words to utter that will move the governor off the dime I think that would be great," said State Representative Lou Lang.
President Obama will talk about what lawmakers, people, can do together to build a better politics that reflects their better selves. It's where his political career began in 1997, and will be not far from his old state senate office.
He will also talk to supporters later at the Hoogland Arts Center.
