LEWISTON, Maine — During the bustling Wednesday lunch service at Simones’ Hot Dog Stand on Chestnut Street, NEWSCENTER Maine caught up with long-time Lewiston residents. The anticipated visit from President Joe Biden has people talking.
Androscoggin County staff confirmed Biden's visit Friday but had no details to share. The White House also confirmed the visit on Wednesday.
"I guess it's alright,” Lewiston Resident David Guprey said. “I mean, it ain't every day the president comes by here."
Sue Gremier and Joyce Richmond were sitting together and expressed excitement about the 46th coming to their city, over a week after gunman Robert Card killed 18 people in the worst mass shooting in the state's history.
"I think it gives you faith that it's going to get better, you know someone is there paying attention," Gremier, a lifelong Lewiston resident, said.
"I would welcome him, and I think most of Lewiston would, especially after last week," Richmond said.
Richmond has firsthand experience with tragic loss and presidential outreach.
"I'm a gold star mother,” she said. “I lost my daughter who was serving in the Air Force at the time. I did get a letter from Obama, actually, and it was nice. It was good to hear from him."
Christopher Schario, who has worked in Lewiston for years, said presidential visits are "largely symbolic."
But, he said Biden's expected visit feels like more than just symbolism.
"With this president, he does seem to have an actual feeling for the people," Schario said. "They become more than symbolic, they actually become personal."
As far as what Biden will say, Guprey expects "condolences to the family that lost somebody."
Gremier and Richmond welcome the visit but don’t expect it to create change in Maine or national politics.
"I'm a firm believer that if God himself was sitting in the president's chair, he couldn't do anything because Congress would knock him around,” Richmond said.
With all presidential visits, traffic impacts the town as much as the appearance itself.
"It's on Friday and Friday is always a son of a gun,” Richmond said. “Depending on where he goes, will depend on how the traffic is."
For Guprey, heavy traffic will not play a factor in his plan to see Biden speak.
“If [Biden] does show up here, I'd come down to meet him," he said.