The problem is simple: how to force Latex to put the figure at the bottom of the first page. I used [!hbt] but that makes the image at the top of the 2nd page.
\begin{figure*}[!thb]
\centerline{
\includegraphics[width=1.7\columnwidth]{image.pdf} \hspace*{0.5cm}}
\caption{\label{fig:d} . }
\end{figure*}
Note that the page is in a 2 column format. AND we have usually footnotes in the first page in ieee class, such as author affiliations. So How to put the figure at the bottom of the first page ABOVE the footnotes?

bfor*two column figures. – David Carlisle Dec 16 '14 at 10:46\centeringrather than\centerline. If you do use\centerlineyou need a%after the{or centering will be out by a space. – David Carlisle Dec 16 '14 at 10:48\includegraphicswhere you want it without using afigureenvironment and usecaptionofpackage to generate the caption properly. – Thruston Dec 16 '14 at 11:06minipagethat is the width of the full page. – barbara beeton Dec 19 '14 at 13:29