Los Angeles

President Obama Beats Traffic in L.A.

Emmett McOsker

President Barack Obama visited Southern California this week, making appearances at political rallies and fundraisers as the 2010 mid-term elections near. With the President's Friday schedule requiring him to crisscross the Los Angeles area, there was concern that his travel would cause traffic delays. President Obama's motorcade shutdown the road ways for hours when he last visited Los Angeles in August. Hoping to avoid a repeat of the anti-Obama sting caused by August’s traffic closures, the president used a helicopter to traverse the city. The presidential helicopter, Marine One, carried the president from LAX to USC; where an estimated 37,500 people attended a rally. Soon after, the chopper flew to Bob Hope Airport in Burbank where the President Obama recorded an interview with a Spanish-language radio station. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), there were no complaints of traffic delays. Any closures were "only momentarily to whisk him through to his location," a CHP Spokeswoman said.

• Obama in Los Angeles: President Obama visited Los Angeles to rally support and fund raise for the upcoming election. A rally of 37,500 gathered for him at USC on Friday.
• Traffic Delays: Obama's motorcade caused massive traffic shutdowns when he last visited L.A. To avoid delays and public inconvenience, the president traveled in a helicopter this trip.

Additional Reading:

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/23/local/la-me-1023-obama-traffic-20101023