Jul 16, 2009 6:40 pm US/Eastern
Obama Set To Speak To Black America At NAACP Gala
President Jets From Huge Campaign Stop For N.J. Gov. Corzine To Manhattan Hilton For Much Anticipated Speech
NYPD Employs "Eye In The Sky" Surveillance Over Hotel
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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President Barack Obama speaks during a press conference at the Group of Eight (G8) summit in L'Aquila, in central Italy, on July 10, 2009.
Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
President Barack Obama is in New York City to address the centennial convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
The banquet is sold out as 6,000 people are expected to hear Obama speak Thursday night in what organizers are billing as his first address to black America as president.
"I think he's going to talk about us a bit and how happy he is to be with us because although we did not elect Barack Obama, we made it possible for Barack Obama to run for president and we made it possible to be elected president," said Julian Bond, chairman of the NAACP.
Bond, a civil rights legend, told CBS 2 HD he's thrilled that on the 100th anniversary of his organization the man speaking broke through racial barriers to become commander in chief of this nation. And he's looking forward to his speech.
"I think he's also going to talk about some of the problems black America still faces, you know black unemployment is always twice as high as it is for whites and the figures are alarming. Today in this New York City they're just staggering," Bond said.
Before the speech the president drew huge crowds as he campaigned in New Jersey with Gov. Jon Corzine. But such is his popularity that even Corzine's opponent, Christopher Christie, welcomed him to the state.
In New York City the Police Department went into overdrive to protect the president. Barricades were set up, command posts established and even one of the NYPD's "eye in the sky" surveillance units was put up outside the Hilton Hotel where he is speaking.
The high-tech surveillance consists of a portable and collapsable tower that rises several stories in the air. It can hold officers and is outfitted with several cameras so that the police can monitor all of the goings on around a particular venue.
As for Obama's much-anticipated speech, the Rev. Al Sharpton told CBS 2 HD he will be in the audience.
"One of the dreams of the founding fathers and mothers of the NAACP was that we have equal access to the ballot and by getting that we elected and African American president some would say ironically I would say providentially on their 100th year," Sharpton said.
Sharpton said his heart will be full as he watches the president.
"In my heart will be that dreams can come true and that you may face some down sides; you may face some adversity, but if you hold on you can make things that happen in reality," Sharpton said.
CBS 2 HD spoke to a number of delegates who said this will be an opportunity for them to show the president how proud they are of him.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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