Claflin University’s president, Dr. Henry N. Tisdale, announced today that Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill) would visit the campus on Saturday, February 17^th to meet with students and area residents.  The event will take place in Tullis Arena of the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Physical Education Center located on Magnolia Street at 11:00 a.m.

Last Saturday, Senator Obama announced, in Springfield, Illinois, that he will seek the 2008 Democratic nomination for president. His visit to South Carolina and Claflin is at the beginning of his campaign and what is expected to be a hotly contested nomination.

Commenting on Senator Obama’s visit and the upcoming debates and primaries, Dr. Tisdale said, “This is a significant and wonderful opportunity for our students to observe, first hand, the political process unfolding on a national level. We are honored that Senator Obama chose us as the location for the citizens of this area to hear his political platform as presidential candidates explain their political agenda to the voters of South Carolina and as we head toward these early and very important primaries.”

Dr. Tisdale added that he hopes other presidential hopefuls will consider the advantages of Claflin as a setting for conveying their political points of view and for these very worthy face-to-face meetings with the electorate of this area.

This will be Senator Barack Obama’s second visit to the campus of Claflin University. In October, 2004 as a U.S. Senate candidate, he visited Claflin University, where he received a very enthusiastic welcome speaking at historic Ministers’ Hall.