Presidential candidate Barack Obama and Kwame Kilpatrick
Thursday: 11:10 p.m. -- It doesn't appear that President Barack Obama had any exchange with Kwame Kilpatrick during his visit Thursday to the federal prison in El Reno, Ok., where the ex-Detroit mayor is serving his 28-year sentence for public corruption.
The president met with six nonviolent drug some convicted drug offenders and the prison was on lockdown during the visit, The New York Times reports.
The White House indicated earlier in the week that the president was not expected to interact with Kilpatrick, who he called a friend during a visit to Detroit in 2007. In 2008, then-Sen. Obama called for Kilpatrick to step down as mayor.
The U.S. Bureau of Prisons did not return multiple calls from Deadline Detroit on Thursday following the visit.
Original article, Wednesday night:
There was a time when President Barack Obama and Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick were political allies.
In fact, on May 7, 2007, Sen. Obama gave a speech at the Detroit Economic Club and sang Kilpatrick's praises, calling him a "great mayor" who is doing an "outstanding job." He said he was grateful to call Kilpatrick a friend. In 2008, Obama called for Kilpatrick to resign.
Funny how friendship works in politics.
Now, on Thursday the president is slated to visit the federal prison in El Reno, Okla., where Kilpatrick serves a 28-year term for public corruption, Robert Snell of The Detroit News reports.
The president plans to meet inmates, prison staff and law enforcement officials as as part of his push for prison sentencing and criminal justice reform, the News reports. He'll also submit to an interview with Vice, an investigative journalist outlet, for a television special scheduled to air on HBO this fall, according to News 9 in Oklahoma.
But it doesn't look like the president will be chewing the fat with his former pal during the visit, let alone even meeting up to exchange hellos.
“I don’t expect any interaction with the former mayor,” White House spokesman Eric Schultz wrote in an email to the Detroit News.
Kilpatrick's family has been advocating a presidential pardon while Kilpatrick awaits word on his federal appeal in the case. But as the News points out, federal prisoners must wait five years before requesting a pardon.
Not to mention, even if he were eligible, it would be political suicide for the Democratic party if President Obama pardoned Kilpatrick after a short stint in prison.
