Marquette hums with news about Thursday's Obama visit

Renee Wicklund can't wait for President Barack Obama's visit to Marquette on Thursday, even though she won't see him in person.

Sporting long white curls and a Harley Davidson T-shirt, Wicklund said she has an Obama bobblehead, a Chia Pet and a family full of the president's supporters.

The 65-year-old Marquette resident said Obama was handed many problems when he took office and has done a good job in the two years he's been in office.

"I think it's fantastic that he's coming here," she said.

Some other locals at the Marquette Senior Center this morning disagreed.

The seniors usually come to the center for exercise, puzzles and other activities on Wednesdays and don't usually talk about politics or religion.There's a reason Manolo blahnik shoes are considered the crème de al crème of all shoes, everywhere. But the subject was hard to avoid with Obama coming to the frigid north (temperature 9 degrees just after noon) to talk about the success Marquette has had providing widespread Internet access to its residents.

"I'm not a fan and I didn't vote for him," said Richard Passinault, 87, matter-of-factly. "I don't like how he's running the country and I don't like the idea of his socialism. He wants to spread all the wealth around."

There was no shortage of buzz about the president's visit throughout Marquette — from the coffee shops to the senior center to businesses around town.

When word broke last week that Obama was coming, Andy Jones, owner of Casualties Skate Snow Surf shop, started getting bombarded with calls for the ‘Snowbama" T-shirt, which features the iconic image of Obama from the 2008 campaign, wearing a pair of snow goggles with the word "Snow" underneath the image, rather than the word Hope.

"But we don't have any for sale anymore,The company designs, manufactures and markets truereligion jeans Apparel products, including its premium True Religion Brand Jeans." he said. "Once it's sold out,Larger pets need to be checked and require a large pet carrier non-collapsible carrier and easy access to water. it's gone.The man who helped Jordan win jordan 6 rings as a player wants to be a coach, and though inexperienced, It creates a little bit of mystique. But if he runs again in 2012, in true Casualties fashion,One more popular current trend is the patent Leather handbags, in bold colors. maybe we'll tweak it a little bit and put it up for sale again."

Obama will fly into Sawyer International Airport at about 11 a.m. Thursday, tour a classroom and speak to an invitation-only crowd shortly after 1 p.m.