What a difference a president makes

Depending on which one we're talking about.

Clinton in 2005 in Italy for Pope John Paul's funeral. He takes a moment to interact with people and is swamped by cheering crowds:

Former Pres Bill Clinton, in Rome for funeral of Pope John Paul II, takes midday stroll, greeting shoppers, tourists eating at outdoor cafes and Italian business people; gets warm reception.

Yet when Bush's face shows up on the tv screen showing the world leaders at Pope John Paul's funeral:

when George W. Bush's face appeared on the big monitor that showed part of the funeral the crowd erupted in loud boos.

So when Bush visits the pope after the G8 summit:

ROME (Reuters) - President George W. Bush will skip a visit to a central Rome neighborhood for security reasons, a move that highlighted fears of possibly violent demonstrations against his visit to the city on Saturday.

The Sant'Egidio Roman Catholic community, which has been nominated several times for the Nobel peace prize, said on Friday they were told by U.S. officials that Bush would not visit their headquarters in the Trastevere neighborhood.

Trastevere is one of Rome's oldest quarters, made up of narrow, cobbled alleys difficult for a motorcade to negotiate.

The meeting will take place at the U.S. embassy instead.

The embassy advised U.S. citizens to avoid the anti-Bush protests. "To avoid becoming targets of opportunity, Americans should avoid the demonstrations, bearing in mind that violence may erupt," it said on its Web site.

A big anti-Bush march is planned to wind through the city for several miles between two large squares. Police said they feared the demonstrations may turn violent.

Many supporters of Prime Minister Romano Prodi's centre-left government, which includes communists, oppose the war in Iraq and some of his coalition parliamentarians may join the rallies.

The centre-right opposition led by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has criticized Prodi's leftist allies for preparing what they say is a lukewarm welcome for Bush at best.

Posters reading "No Bush, No War," have been plastered in many parts of the city and rainbow-colored peace flags were hung in Trastevere and other neighborhoods.

A president who rules by fear reacts to the world in fear. No wonder people hate him.