DENVER -- President George W. Bush has begun his campaign fundraising stop in Denver.

Couples paid $5,000 and up to meet with the president near the University of Denver Tuesday evening. The fundraiser was set at the Lawrence C. Phipps Memorial Conference Center at 3400 Belcaro Drive in the Bonnie Brae neighborhood. The event was expected to raise $2.25 million for the Bush-Cheney campaign, said Bruce Benson, former head of the state GOP.

Bush will stay in Colorado through Wednesday, when he'll speak at the Air Force Academy's graduation.

Air Force One touched down at Buckley Air Force Base just before 5 p.m Tuesday and the president bounded down the steps to meet a private group of welcomers.

Protesters gathered at public sidewalks of East Exposition Avenue and University Boulevard holding signs as the presidential motorcade passed.

Local activists are also demonstrating on Wednesday at the south gate of the Air Force Academy.

"We will gather to mourn the dead, heal the wounded, and end the occupation of Iraq", said Dennis Apuan, Pikes Peak Justice and Peace organizer. "The government's policy in Iraq has been a humanitarian, economic, and political disaster."

Bush chose the Air Force Academy for his annual service-academy commencement and is expected to focus on the war effort. The motto of this year's graduating class is "Parati ad Bellum" -- "ready for war."

The academies have agreed that only one will invite the president each year. Bush was expected to speak at the academy last year, according to the informal rotation, but decided to speak at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy instead.

Before his Air Force speech Wednesday, the president is scheduled to meet with James Dobson, head of the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs. Dobson is a leading supporter of a proposed constitutional amendment that would bar legal recognition of same-sex marriages.

The group also supports the president's faith-based initiative, a plan to allow religious organizations to compete for federal social services contracts. The proposal is popular with religious groups and Bush is pushing it ahead of the fall elections.

Bush has said he backs the proposed amendment, which is sponsored by two Colorado Republicans, Sen. Wayne Allard and Rep. Marilyn Musgrave.

A spokeswoman for Bush's likely opponent, Democrat John Kerry, said he opposes the proposed amendment and believes the president is using the issue to divide the nation and divert attention from the war in Iraq.

The fund-raiser at the Phipps Mansion in Denver was expected to raise $2.25 million for the Bush-Cheney campaign, said Bruce Benson, former head of the state GOP. The price to attend started at $5,000 a couple.

Democrats said Bush's visit suggests Colorado is in play this November. The state also has two prominent congressional races, both to replace retiring Republicans: Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell and Rep. Scott McInnis.

Democratic Senate candidate Mike Miles said Bush's meeting with Dobson is a sign the president is worried about his image and needs church support to win the November election.

"He's talking to his core constituency," Miles said.

The other Democrat in the race, Attorney General Ken Salazar, said Bush is worried about the GOP losing control of the Senate, where it holds a 51-48 edge with one independent.

"I think he should be worried about Colorado. People are energized," Salazar said.

Four years ago, Bush got 883,748 votes in Colorado to 738,227 for Democrat Al Gore.