--- title: Obama Prison Visit to Oklahoma Scheduled for July 16 description: He'll become the first sitting U.S. president to visit a federal penitentiary. canonical: https://time.com/3954018/obama-prison-visit/ author: Eric Dodds article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-07-10T18:33:43.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:58:37.190Z article:section: Politics og:title: Obama to Make History With Prison Visit og:description: He'll become the first sitting U.S. president to visit a federal penitentiary og:url: https://time.com/3954018/obama-prison-visit/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8e30f471ba0dfcc0/69885a7ccd1bba65456fc39f/obama-prison-visit.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4500 og:image:height: 2531 og:image:alt: Barack Obama og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Obama to Make History With Prison Visit twitter:description: He'll become the first sitting U.S. president to visit a federal penitentiary twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8e30f471ba0dfcc0/69885a7ccd1bba65456fc39f/obama-prison-visit.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Obama to Make History With Prison Visit > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=31bd0736-4005-4a75-abe6-795930c1a562&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: How President Obama's Dealt With Hecklers Over The Years [Watch (HLS stream): How President Obama's Dealt With Hecklers Over The Years](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/RFU4mo1g.m3u8) (2:12)  _Published 2015-06-25. After President Obama dealt with a heckler inside_ by [Eric Dodds](https://time.com/author/eric-dodds/) ## Eric Dodds Jul 10, 2015 6:33 PM UTC  US President Barack Obama speaks about bills declaring three new national monuments in the Oval Office of the White House July 10, 2015 in Washington, DC. AFP PHOTO/BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images) US President Barack Obama speaks about bills declaring three new national monuments in the Oval Office of the White House July 10, 2015 in Washington, DC. AFP PHOTO/BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images) BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI—AFP/Getty Images by [Eric Dodds](https://time.com/author/eric-dodds/) ## Eric Dodds Jul 10, 2015 6:33 PM UTC President Obama will [visit](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/07/10/obama-to-visit-federal-prison-in-oklahoma-on-thursday/) El Reno, a medium-security federal prison in El Rino, Okla., next Thursday as part of his effort to reform the U.S. criminal justice system. His visit will mark the first time a sitting U.S. President has visited a federal penitentiary, according to White House press secretary Josh Earnest. Obama is expected to reveal his ideas for revising the nation’s sentencing rules on Tuesday, two days before his visit. The President will be accompanied by Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Charles E. Samuels Jr. during his time at El Reno. The visit comes on the heels of Obama’s decision to commute the sentences of 22 drug offenders in March, and he is expected to add to that tally next week. \[[_Washington Post_](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/07/10/obama-to-visit-federal-prison-in-oklahoma-on-thursday/)\] ## Transcript [ INAUDIBLE ] Okay you know what. [ INAUDIBLE ] No, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no [ INAUDIBLE ] Hey listen. You're in my house. If you're eating the h'ordeurves [ MUSIC ] You know what I'm saying? I do. [ MUSIC ] The reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally. You lie! Oh! That's not true. And when you ask them, what specifically is your, Sir, I'm hear to speak to these folks. You can hold your own rally. [ APPLAUSE ] You're being rude. [ MUSIC ] I hear you, I got you. No, no, no, that's fine. These guys don't need to go. Let me finish. No, no, no. Let, you can stay there. I respect the passion of these young people. I heard you. I heard you. I heard you, all right? Now I've been respectful. [ MUSIC ] And the answer to your question, sir. and the next time I'd prefer you let me finish my statements before you ask that question because this is the right thing to do for the American people. Let me address it. [ INAUDIBLE ]. Why don't you let me address it ma'am? [ INAUDIBLE ] Why don't you sit down and I will tell you exactly what I'm going to do. And I I wouldn't feel comfortable if I didn't have at least one heckler. Tell us about your plans for nuclear war with Russia. Boo! I'm sorry. Who's that back there? See he thought happy hour started earlier. Not really. Maybe. [ Laughs .] It's classified. As a general rule, I am just fine with a few hecklers. [ Laughs .] But not when I'm up in the house. 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