WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Presidential Preparations in Middlebury

Presidential Preparations in Middlebury

Middlebury, Vermont - May 22, 2007

Grounds crews at Middlebury College are taking their final measurements, preparing for the tents and chairs that will house the largest-ever crowd expected for a Middlebury graduation. Secretary of the College John Emerson says, "I would say 2,500 more people than we've accommodated at past commencements."

That could mean up to 7,500 people total. They're coming to see their family and friends graduate from the liberal arts college. They will also see former president Bill Clinton, who's delivering the commencement address.

Burlington Airport officials say Mr. Clinton will arrive by charter jet Sunday morning. He'll never step foot in the airport terminal. He'll be driven straight to Middlebury with secret service escorts.

On-campus, Larry Rooney, Middlebury's assistant director of public safety, says, "There will be no searching of bags."

No searching of bags, and Rooney says he's not aware of any plans to bring in metal detectors. But he can't say much more because of security concerns. In fact, the college knows very little about President Clinton's itinerary. The secret service keeps that guarded.

The school can say it's hiring an outside security company to help with ushering and the parking crunch. Local police, sheriff's deputies, and state troopers will be on-site Sunday, too. But again, college public safety officials can't discuss specifics.

Larry Rooney says, "We want everyone to get in safely."

This is the first time in the college's history that graduation is not open to the public. Seating will be by ticket only, and the college has already given out all the available passes. You can, however, watch the speech online, by logging onto Middlebury's website.

John Emerson says, "We're not going to stop people from walking onto campus. We're not going to have barricades around campus and wouldn't want that."

Emerson adds anyone who doesn't have a ticket wouldn't be able to see or hear anything worth coming for, anyway. He thinks the online streaming, and several public access cable broadcasts statewide are the best ways for people in our region to hear Clinton.

Emerson concludes, "We hope to be as hospitable and welcoming to our guests as we can possibly be and still have it work well logistically."

So pride, pomp, and circumstance are the focus of the day.

Jack Thurston - WCAX News