Bush in Italy. Here's his agenda (now excuse me I have to put on my best jacket)

[demoleft]

Great expectations for the event. It’s not usual and, anyway, it will be the one and only date in Italy through the whole 2007. People can’t wait to see him back again in his splendid, golden mature age. The star, the ultimate star, is awaited like the epiphany of a god.

Indeed I'm talking of Mick Jagger and the Stones, who will be in Rome on July the 6th, the only concert in Italy, something thousand of people are already getting over-excited at.

But now let’s be back to Bush. Yes, he’s arriving in Rome. 10000 policemen already on patrol, doctors and nurses in hospitals standing still in case of emergency calls, airplanes and helicopters in flight with guns and whatever, 24 hours a-day. Schools already closed, no traffic jams in the core of Rome as many streets were closed, especially in Trastevere’s zone.
The real good gift the visit pays to the city: cleaner air in the tourist zone for a couple of days.

Many fundamental subjects are at stake in the political meetings with President Napolitano, PM Prodi and D’Alema.
The recent victory of Internazionale Football Club in the Italian Soccer Championship, the Superbowl, the Italian good cuisine in New York and the growing presence of American tourists in Tuscany among others.

If Bush’s agenda allows, discussions will take place on Iraq, the Abu Omar case (with the CIA planes flying gaily and free in the European skies), the murder of our policeman Nicola Calipari in Iraq (you surely remember US soldier Lozano and his case) and the management of the Mastrogiacomo case in Afghanistan, the Italian journalist kidnapped and then released – case that gave Italians the opportunity of enjoying Edward Luttwak’s lovely face on 2 national public networks the same evening (at 9 pm and at 11 pm) and taste his honey reflections on how dangerous it was for the world safety that we were able to save the man’s life.

The meeting with Ratzinger will be very useful to Bush to update the agenda of the roman catholic crusade against whatever. After having settled issues on gays, unmarried couples, abortion rights, and recently malls – I read church malls are common in southern USA – Ratz will probably ask Bush to organize initiatives against the Copernican system, against Darwin's Beagle - though it's a bit too late now to bomb the ship - or more simply against rainfalls during the Sunday walk to churches. Or, maybe, to plan a more attentive cooperation between the rightist churches on both sides of the Atlantic. Who knows?

A diner at Villa Taverna, where his US Ambassador R. P. Spogli resides, will close his happy day in Italy. An invitation to dinner was quickly sent to long time friend Silvio Berlusconi, whose presence is announced. Silvio may even sing a couple of songs from his repertoire.

On Sunday morning no one will even remember this visit. Rome will breath the usual terrible CO2 air and doctors and nurses will be back at the usual boring business of saving people's life.

But thousands will still be waiting for the real event, the Rolling Stones in July.
More people will gather then and surely they will be far happier people!
Ciao from Italy!

:hi:

[bluerum]

1. Hey - my fathers family is from Abruzzo. I have cousins there but have

never been to Europe - although some of my US cousins have visited them.

Ciao back.

[demoleft]

3. In case you decide to come...

...a bottle of good Montepulciano D'Abruzzo wine is in store!

:toast:

[madfloridian]

2. A kick now, a reply later, demoleft. Thanks for the update from Italy.

:hi:

[demoleft]

4. Giordano Bruno thanks Bush...

It's a good idea that Bush decided not to go to visit Trastevere in Rome. Giordano Bruno in Campo dei Fiori wouldn't have liked to see him!

Ciao!
:hi:

[demoleft]

5. UPDATE - The cowboy in Rome is having lunch...after 3 sit-com scenes...

Always on the right...and in the wrong positions...

A little 'gaffe' by George W. Bush at the moment of the official photo shooting with Italian President Napolitano and wives.
He remained on the right external side (it comes naturally to him…), instead of placing at the centre, side by side with Napolitano. The photographers warned him and he then took the right position, smiling.

Yessir...

Answering the Pope, G.W. Bush called him “Sir” instead of the more formal “His Holiness”: “yessir”, he is reported to have said, which sounds more like a Marine rookie given orders by his sergeant.

First lady on the hill

Laura Bush, on the Quirinal hill, was in company of President Napolitano’s wife, Mrs. Clio.
She then stared out of the window and had a look at Rome. Then she is reported to have asked: “Where are the seven hills?”
Reporters don’t say how long it took to Mr.Clio to explain to Mrs Bush that she was on top of one of them.

The Menu
Fish for lunch. Mezze maniche with bottarga, Spigole from Tirreno sea and fruit mousse. White wines and Ferrari Brut to drink. Fish for lunch also for the first ladies, though no wine is mentioned on their table...

Update:
The President Bush Limousine could not enter Via Locullo as the car is too long for the embassy entrance gate. The President had to get off the car and go afoot. A good walk after the good lunch...

[WritersBlock]

6. ROFL "Where are the seven hills?"

And how I would have loved to have seen * have to get out and actually walk.


Thanks for the updates, Demoleft, & welcome to DU!

[demoleft]

7. Thank you! Here more updated news...

Political updates (almost useless, as we know that, officially,...):
Everything's fine.
Bush says USA has good relations with Italy, and with Prodi and Berlusconi in the same measure. He appreciates the effort Italy is making in Lebanon and Afghanistan, and says that USA are committed to help Africa.

With Ratzinger
The Vatican spokesman Lombardi is reported to have said there's a perfect harmony in the way the Vatican and Bush see issues on defense of life, marriage, family, human rights and religious freedom (I had no doubt!)

The rallies against him
Dana Perino, from the Whitehouse, says freedom of expression gives strenght to democracies. She seems to imply Bush almost rejoices in the rallies organized against him in Rome as a sign of free expression in a free democracy.
Good PR trick, WhiteHouse!


Note that I'm translating from Italian. Words may be different from what I write...but not the substance! The source is LaRepubblica.it, an important italian paper also in online version. the address is
http://www.repubblica.it/2007/06/dirette/sezioni/cronaca/visita-bush/visita-bush/index.html

Thank you for welcoming me and yes, I would have like too to stay there and see Bush walk in the sun...

[zippy890]

8. thanks for your reports

were the protests big?- did they cordon them off into 'free speech zones' like they do here?

This must have costs millions of dollars to the Italian police and security people to have this poor excuse for a world leader visit Rome-.

I'd love to visit Italy- let alone live there - I envy you!
:hi:

[demoleft]

9. The anti-Bush protests and the mutual gifts...UPDATES

...and it took time because there was a subtle coordination between Railway authorities and Security/Police to make some trains stop in different stations and not in central station Termini. So people took time in collecting for the official rallies as they had to get to Piazza della Repubblica (Repubblica Square).

Moreover, the places where Bush moves to are presided by agents wherever and streets get closed.

The problem is, there may appear violent and unofficial protest groups to ruin the peaceful rally. It often happens here. A McDonald’s and a Blockbuster shop were damaged in the night and in the morning. Nothing serious, though.

For example: a group of 30 persons were rejected by Police in Piazza del Popolo as they tried to join the rally with a flag on which they had written "we are with the talebans". 30 persons, who are they?
Are they really protesters or just a sort of provocation?

All is calm, for the moment. The police heads the rally that is moving from Piazza Esedra. Many people are reported to be there. The rally goes under the slogan No War No Bush and No to the Italian government war politics.

Universitary students distributed false 10 dollar pieces with Bush’s face on them and words that you can imagine!

Gift exchange
Prodi to Bush: a set of neck-ties by Ferragamo
Bush to Prodi: A National geographic Atlas
Laura Bush to Flavia Prodi: a Tiffany rosary
Flavia to Laura: a Tod's purse

Ciao!

[WritersBlock]

10. I wonder if the ties match Condi's shoes.

Oh, the irony of * giving an atlas as a gift....!!

[demoleft]

11. A cowboy in Rome - update - last one, promised!

Prodi and Bush shake hands after meeting the Press.

As to the answers, no news. The G8 commitments will be fulfilled, a common path for environment will be followed.

A journalist asked if the Pope had remarked to him that the Iraqi war had been a mistake. Bush replied that they talked of many things and that the Pope worried for the christian communities in Iraq, that are not secure and whose rights may be in danger (!!)

Syria must not interfere with Lebanon politics, said Bush. While Prodi said no more efforts than those already made in Afghanistan were requested from USA to Italy.

Bush invited Prodi in Washington and explained why he was going to have a coffee with Berlusconi, opposition's leader. "He's an old friend", he said.
Never once, in his European tour, Bush met any opposition leader.
That's why this coffee makes news in Italy!

Protest rallies are peaceful, luckily.
No more on the topic: what's been really said btw Prodi, D'Alema and Bush is not known. And never will be.

What will be left after tomorrow?
The protests of the people against the Italian Government. And from tomorrow on, for the center-left coalition, will be hard time again!

ciao! :hi: