President Biden expected to visit Pittsburgh for Labor Day
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — President Joe Biden will be in Pittsburgh next Monday to celebrate Labor Day, the White House announced on Monday.
As KDKA political editor Jon Delano reports, it's not yet finalized what he will do in the city.
Biden is no stranger to Pittsburgh on Labor Day. His last visit was four years ago amidst speculation of a run for president when he joked, "If I were to run for president, I would be here a lot."
Well, he did run, and he was here a lot, announcing his candidacy in Pittsburgh three years ago. And now he's returning as president on Labor Day.
"It's a great day, great announcement. We're so excited," says Darrin Kelly, president of the Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council.
Kelly says Biden has a special relationship with this region.
"It's a great honor to have a sitting president choose the city of Pittsburgh and choose this movement here. We're so proud. It's a testament to the hard work and men and women of western Pennsylvania," says Kelly.
So far, the White House only says the president will visit Milwaukee and Pittsburgh on Labor Day.
The head of Milwaukee's labor council told KDKA-TV that she understands the president will visit her city mid-day and then fly to Pittsburgh in the afternoon.
Sources tell KDKA-TV that the schedule is in flux, but Biden is likely to speak at a labor rally in Pittsburgh at a union hall, possibly the United Steelworkers, instead of marching in a wide-open parade as he has done in the past.
"The parade is so big and the route so crowded that I can see where security issues would really hamper that, but believe me if he could, he would. There's no doubt about it. But we'll know some facts in the next couple of days," says Kelly.
The White House generally does not give too much advanced word of the president's specific schedule, but Kelly says wherever Biden goes on Labor Day in this area he can expect a supportive crowd.