President Barack Obama arrived in the Bay Area this evening for a trip that will include a speech at a cybersecurity summit at Stanford University and a Democratic fundraiser Friday.
The president arrived in Air Force One, which touched down at 5:15 p.m. at San Francisco International Airport.
Obama greeted a crowd of several dozen people who were waiting to meet him, including San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.
Sharice Tippens of Tracy, California, was among the crowd gathered there, which was made up largely of family members and friends of government officials and employees. She said she was “extremely nervous” to shake his hand.
“It’s a piece of history,” Tippens said.
Dave Bernstein, an Oakland resident, was holding his 10-month-old son when the president reached out to pick up little Alexander and blow him a kiss.
“I wasn’t expecting anything. The president was looking the other way the whole time but then he turned his head and started reaching,” Bernstein said. “I’ll have those pictures forever.”
Obama will stay overnight in San Francisco, then visit Palo Alto on Friday morning to deliver remarks at 11:20 a.m. at the Summit on Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection at Stanford University.
Later on Friday at 12:20 p.m., the president will host a roundtable at Stanford with local business leaders, then attend a 4:40 p.m. Democratic National Committee fundraiser at a private residence in San Francisco.
Obama is then leaving from SFO on Saturday and flying to Palm Springs in Southern California.
The president last visited the Bay Area in October on a fundraising trip.
Erin Baldassari, Bay City News
