Rep. Bateman: ‘A grand occasion’

“Isn’t this a grand occasion?” asked Rep. Linden Bateman, R-Idaho Falls, as he joined the crowd of several thousand awaiting President Obama’s speech at Boise State University. Asked why he wanted to come today, Bateman said, “I love my country. He’s the president of the United States. There’s 300 million people in this country, and only one president.”

He added, “The last sitting president I saw was Harry Truman. I was 8 years old.” Bateman got to see Truman when he came through Idaho Falls on a whistle-stop tour and spoke from the back of a train.

Rep. Mark Nye, D-Pocatello, said, “It’s wonderful for our state.”

Boise resident Joanie Fauci, who stood with friends and family amid the crowd, said, “Everybody should want to come see the president. If you have the opportunity to see the president, you should.”