Fallin Not In Oklahoma To Welcome President Obama

Governor Mary Fallin will not greet President Obama when he arrives in Oklahoma.

The Governor has made it no secret she's not a big fan of President Obama especially when it comes to his energy policies and the Keystone pipeline. But her office tells News 9 her absence this week isn't about politics but timing.

According to the Governor's press secretary, their office found out about the President's visit on Friday afternoon from the media.  The Governor and her family were already out of state on vacation.

3/21/2012 Related Story: No State Officials Will Welcome President To Oklahoma

The White House didn't notify the Governor's office the president was coming to Oklahoma until Sunday.

The Governor's office had intended to send Energy Secretary Michael Ming but he is also out of town.

So they will be sending Commerce Secretary Dave Lopez to represent the administration.

"I wouldn't expect for her to make a change, I doubt he (President Obama) would have asked her too," said James Maxwell, when asked how he felt that the Governor wouldn't be here.  "I don't see any issue with that."

"I think she should be here, I really do," countered Jean Frederick.  "She's on vacation?  I think she should be here to welcome our president.  He is our president."

"I also tried to find out who invited him here," said Steve Agee, PhD, the Dean of the Meider's School of Business at Oklahoma City University.  "Because someone from the home state invites the president to come to the venue and sets things up.  But it's my understanding that didn't happen either. That this originated from the White House."

Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb will also be out of town he will be in Washington at the National Lt. Governor's meeting.