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LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts has reversed himself and will greet President Barack Obama after all.

Ricketts, who had earlier declined to meet with Obama during his visit Wednesday, changed course Tuesday evening.

Ricketts had earlier said the invitation came too late for him to change his schedule and that he had to prepare for his own State of the State address on Thursday.

On Tuesday evening, however, Ricketts said his staff had found time in his schedule.

"I’m grateful to my staff who worked so hard to rearrange my schedule, so that I could welcome the president to Nebraska," Ricketts said.

Ricketts on Monday and Tuesday said that the president's visit conflicted with his own calendar.

That decision prompted the Nebraska Democratic Party to accuse Ricketts of being "petty." They noted in a press release on Tuesday that past Nebraska governors on both sides of the aisle have welcomed presidents when they visit this state.

Until Ricketts changed his mind, the plan was for Lt. Gov. Mike Foley to greet the president’s plane when it arrives in Omaha and attend his speech at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.