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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Emergency services, Oct. 16 ... Since You Asked: Park resurfacing delayed during winter ... SOU training gives tips on what to do if there's an active shooter ... Emergency services, Oct. 16 ... Since You Asked: Park resurfacing delayed during winter ... SOU training gives tips on what to do if there's an active shooter ... OBAMA VISIT Cheers and protest signs greet President Obama in Oregon Comment By Sheila V. Kumar The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Sheila V. Kumar The Associated Press Posted May. 7, 2015 at 8:03 PM By Sheila V. Kumar The Associated Press Posted May. 7, 2015 at 8:03 PM » Social News PORTLAND — President Barack Obama got cheers from people lining downtown Portland streets as he arrived Thursday for a two-day visit but also drew protests from a small crowd of activists opposed to a planned trade deal. Air Force One landed at Portland International Airport late in the afternoon. Obama was greeted by Gov. Kate Brown and other Oregon dignitaries before traveling by motorcade to a downtown hotel to attend a fundraiser for Democrats. People on the street cheered as the motorcade passed. A couple of hundred protesters gathered near the Sentinel Hotel. Many were there to voice their opposition to Obama's request to Congress for "fast track" trade authority that would give him leeway to negotiate an Asia-Pacific trade deal that would be subject only to an up-or-down vote, without amendments. Many labor unions and other liberal groups have come out against fast-track authority. They say free-trade agreements encourage companies to relocate American jobs to countries with weaker labor and environmental standards. The protesters were noisy but peaceful. They chanted slogans against fast track and the planned trade deal. Among them was 72-year-old Douglas Yarrow of Portland. Yarrow said the proposed trade deal was a "symptom of our poor old country, which is supposed to be a democracy, but if you've got money it outweighs my vote." Also among the protesters was Anthony Bencivengo, a 19-year-old student at Reed College. "Basically I think Obama has been a really good president," he said, but on the issue of the proposed trade deal, "he's really just wrong." "The fast-track option is just really harmful to democracy," he said. "And that's not the way a major trade agreement should be passed." Obama was to talk about free trade this morning at Nike headquarters in nearby Beaverton. This is Obama's fourth visit to Oregon since he became president. Obama was last in Oregon in July 2012 to raise money while campaigning for re-election. A year earlier, he made a stop in Hillsboro to tour an Intel Corp. microprocessor factory and promote science, technology, engineering and math education. In the 2008 election, Obama carried Oregon over Republican John McCain with 57 percent of the vote. Four years later, he defeated Mitt Romney with 54 percent support. By Sheila V. Kumar The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Sheila V. Kumar The Associated Press Posted May. 7, 2015 at 8:03 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501