Then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Illinois) met with tribal leaders in South Dakota during his 2008 presidential campaign. Photo from Great Plains Tribal Chairman's Association / Facebook
President Barack Obama will visit South Dakota next month for the first time since entering the White House. Obama will deliver the commencement speech at Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown on May 8. The trip means the president will have visited all 50 states during his time in the Oval Office. Watertown is only a few miles from the southern edge of the Lake Traverse Reservation, the home of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate. Although Obama's schedule has not been confirmed it's possible he will meet with tribal representatives during his visit.
Disastrous flooding has hampered cleanup of toxic waste from Keystone 1 Pipeline spill near the Lake Traverse Reservation. Photo courtesy of Dakota Resource Council
During his 2008 presidential campaign, Obama met with tribal leaders from the state. He is now facing intense pressure from them to reject the Keystone XL Pipeline. The Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate has already been affected by the original Keystone Pipeline. A spill dumped crude oil near the reservation in 2011. Get the Story:
KSFY Exclusive: Nancy Naeve's full interview with President Barack Obama (KSFY 4/13)
Obama announces May visit to his 50th state: South Dakota (AP 4/13)
President Obama to visit Watertown in May (The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 4/14)
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