President Obama Arrives at SFO

President Obama has arrived in the Bay Area for a brief fundraising stop in San Francisco this afternoon.

Air Force One touched down at San Francisco International Airport at 12:55 p.m. The president waved to a small crowd that had gathered for his arrival from the door of the aircraft, then walked quickly down the steps to the tarmac, where he was greeted by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.

He spent about five minutes shaking hands and chatting with members of the public who were invited to attend, including about half a dozen children. The president took a moment to hold a baby a woman had handed to him, and high-fived a boy who was sitting on a man's shoulders.

After signing some autographs -- including one on a toy model of Air Force One that was brought by one of the children -- he got into a black limousine and drove off with his motorcade.

The president is scheduled to attend a lunchtime fundraiser at the W Hotel in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood, with tickets starting at $5,000. The motorcade arrived at the hotel at 1:30 p.m.

An Obama campaign official said about 200 people are expected to attend the event, where attendees will watch a performance by singer Jack Johnson. A number of groups are protesting outside the W Hotel this afternoon, hoping to draw attention to issues including U.S. involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, a recent federal crackdown on medical marijuana providers, and the government's treatment of Bradley Manning.

As of 12:45 p.m., several hundred people had gathered outside the hotel. Several streets in SOMA will be shut down until 4 p.m. for the presidential visit, including Third Street from Folsom Street to Mission Street; New Montgomery between Mission and Howard streets; Hawthorne Street between Howard and Folsom streets; and the intersection of Third and Howard streets.

Obama is scheduled to leave the Bay Area shortly after 3 p.m. today for Denver, and will head back to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. He flew to the Bay Area today from Los Angeles, where he also had fundraisers planned. The president made a surprise visit to a Roscoe's House of Chicken & Waffles on Monday night, then taped a segment for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno this morning that will air tonight.

- Bay City News