AURORA — After staying overnight at a Cherry Creek hotel, President Barack Obama departed Buckley Air Force Base around 9:15 a.m. today.

The president boarded his Marine 1 helicopter in Denver and made the short flight to Buckley here in Aurora. Two military helicopters carrying White House staff and press corps accompanied Marine 1.

Obama departed en route to Iowa, where he is set to speak at the Univeristy of Iowa later today. It's the third and final stop on his two-day college tour where Obama is relaying a message about a need to keep lower interest rates on student loans.

Kurtis Lee: 303-954-1655, or