Obama arrives in South Carolina for first time as president

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — President Barack Obama has arrived in South Carolina for the first time since taking office.

Obama was greeted at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport Friday by U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, Gov. Nikki Haley and Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin.

Obama is appearing later at Benedict College. During an event at the private, historically black school, the president is expected to speak about his 1-year-old My Brother’s Keeper initiative to improve the lives of young minority men. He is also expected to preview his speech commemorating the 50th anniversary of civil rights protests in Selma, Alabama.

This is the first time Obama has been in South Carolina since the 2008 primary campaign in which he and Hillary Rodham Clinton fiercely fought for the state’s black voters.

___

Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP