Pres. Barack Obama is set to give a speech at Hill Air Force Base in Ogden on Friday. The President is scheduled to speak about the economy and will meet with leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints later that day. It will be the Commander-in-Chief’s first visit to Utah since initially being elected in 2008.
James Evans, the state Chairman of the Utah Republican Party, said that he hopes that Obama will use the visit as an opportunity to learn about the state’s economic policies. He said that the President should listen to the Utah’s Congressional and business leaders.
“What I hope the President will do is take the opportunity to learn what Utah is doing with its economy. I think that would be very instructive and he can utilize that at a national level,” Evans said. “What I hope is that he would take this opportunity to receive input from our Congressional delegation and, if possible, business leaders here in Utah.”
Last year, Forbes Magazine rated Utah as the number one state for doing business. Evans said that the country as a whole could have been helped by a visit from the President much sooner.
“I think America as a whole would have benefited is the President would have visited Utah sooner to learn what we’re doing,” he said. “I think he could utilize that at a national level. There’s no question that in Utah we’re doing it right because we’re delivering.
After Utah, South Dakota is the only other state that has yet to receive a visit from Obama as President.
