President Bill Clinton's Visit to Chautauqua Institution

  Potter, Karen.  "President Bill Clinton's Visit to Chautauqua Institution," Jamestown (NY) Post-Journal, 30 September 1996, p.1 and p.3.
        The Post-Journal website:  http://post-journal.com/

Chautauqua Readies For Clinton Visit
   By Karen Potter
   Chautauqua - Before President Clinton arrives for his visit to Chautauqua Institution on Thursday, there are numerous preparations that have to be made.
   The Clinton-Gore Campaign announced Sunday the president and his team will be staying at the historic Athenaeum Hotel for three days to be prepared for his first debate with Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole on Sunday in Hartford, Conn.
   "This is a very exciting time," said Chautauqua President Daniel L. Bratton. "We don't know much yet, but we know Clinton will arrive on Thursday and stay, possibly, until Saturday. The Presidential Advance Team has arrived but hasn't had time to really check anything out yet."
   Bratton said 35,000 pounds of communication equipment from the White House communications corps have arrived on the grounds in preparation for setting up "a miniature White House."
   ALLTEL New York also is providing 100 extra telephone lines and 150 to 200 feet of cable to be run from the Athenaeum Hotel to a telephone pole outside the Institution grounds.
   "Getting the cable run from the pole is the easy part," said Richard Stahlsmith, vice president of operations at ALLTEL. "Getting it spliced on both ends is another matter."
   Stahlsmith said some construction will be needed to run the extra lines but he's hoping most of the work will be completed today.
   Because of the President's visit restrictions are expected at the Institution. "I would imagine access to the grounds will be severely restricted during this time, except at the main gate," Bratton said. "They will occupy the entire Athenaeum Hotel, but we don't know yet where the president will stay. That will be decided after we meet with the advance team today."
   County Sheriff Joseph Gerace said his officers will be working closely with the Secret Service to provide security for Clinton's visit.
   "We'll be helping them with security both on and off the Chautauqua grounds," Gerace said. "It's too early to tell what kind of commitment they'll be looking for from us, but it will probably involve some additional staffing on our part. This presents another challenge to our department, but that's what's exciting about law enforcement."
   Gerace said he has met once and will meet again today with Secret Service officials.
   Chautauqua County Democrats are excited about the president's stay at the Institution.
   "Chautauqua Institution is a great place, Jamestown Democratic legislator Joseph Trusso said. "There's a lot of tranquility there and a lot of history. He can draw from what's happened there and I think he will. Maybe that's why he picked Chautauqua."
   Jamestown Democratic Legislator Jane Fagerstrom, minority caucus leader, said she met the Clintons during their previous visit to the Institution.
   "I know Mr. Clinton was very pleased with Chautauqua, as we all are," she said, adding that she is not disappointed there are no scheduled social or political functions at the institution involving the president.
   Fredonia Democratic Legislator Michael Bobseine, assistant minority leader, said Clinton's visit to Chautauqua is a "great tribute to Dr. Bratton and his people, who always do a fantastic job and who have made the Institution world class. Clinton recognized that and we're real proud."
   Dunkirk Democratic Legislator Charles Porpiglia said, "The last time Clinton was here, he said he was going to return. I'm pleased to see him return to Chautauqua County and the Institution."
   Bratton said one interesting activity the president is expected to participate in during his stay will be a mock debate in preparation for the real debate Sunday. It will be taped and viewed afterwards by the president. The mock debate will not be open to the public.
   Ken Brentley, manager of the Chautuaqua County Airport said the advance team is expected to visit the airport today to assess the size of the airport landing area.
   "I know we can't handle Air Force 1, it's too large for us, " said Brentley, "but Air Force 2 has been here before when Bush was vice president."
   Brentley said there are various options open to the team. Clinton might land at the Buffalo airport then fly to Chautuaqua County on presidential helicopters. Another possibility is that he might fly into the Jamestown airport on Air Force 2.
   Clinton and Vice President Al Gore stopped at Chautauqua four years ago on the campaign trail, but this is the first sitting president to visit Chautauqua since Franklin Roosevelt in 1936, according to Bratton. This will be the Clinton's fourth visit to the Institution. He also visited twice as governor of Arkansas.
   Staff reporters Bob Houston and Victoria R. Spagnoli contributed to this report.
[Pamphlet File]

10/31/2003