Over 1,000 line up for tickets to Obama speech
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Minnesotans lined up for nearly a mile Wednesday morning to get free tickets to hear President Obama speak at the Lake Harriet Bandshell on Friday.
• More: Minneapolis woman key to Obama visit
Martin Donovan, 16, was the first in line. He arrived at the bandshell at 4:30 a.m.
By noon, when organizers started handing out the 2,000 available tickets, the line Donovan started had grown to over 1,000 people.
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"It's, like, a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the President of the United States within a mile of my house," Donovan said. "It's awesome."
The White House says Obama's visit will be the first of several around the country. He's expected to talk about ways to improve the economy.
Janet Mills, 53, of Minneapolis waited a little more than four hours for her ticket.
"I think everyone's frustrated by the road block in Congress," Mills said. "I think that starting in Minneapolis is a great place to show where there could be improvements, where a great city could be better if things were changed nationally."
In addition to the Lake Harriet speech Friday, Obama will hold a town hall style meeting and a fundraiser in Minneapolis Thursday