President Bush and first lady Laura Bush welcome Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, center, on the North Portico to a dinner at the White House in Washington, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008. It is one of the few state dinners held in the Bush White House.
President Bush welcomes Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as he arrives at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, for a Columbus Day state dinner.
President Bush and first lady Laura Bush welcome Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, center, on the North Portico to a dinner at the White House in Washington, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008.
President Bush and first lady Laura Bush welcome Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to dinner on the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, right, waits in line at the Official Dinner for the Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi in the East Room of the White House, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, in Washington.
Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, right, talks with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, left, and her husband, Paul Pelosi, center, at the Official Dinner for the Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi in the East Room of the White House, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, in Washington.
President Bush speaks before toasting with the Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi during an Official Dinner in the State Dining Room of the White House Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, in Washington.
Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi, left standing, holds up part of the podium after it came apart during his speech to President Bush, right seated, during an Official Dinner in the State Dining Room Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, in Washington. Laughing and sitting below Berlusconi is former Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton-Kelley.
Guests at a table listen to remarks by President Bush during an Official Dinner in the State Dining Room of the White House Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, in Washington. The menu included squash soup with citron, Maine lobster fondue, artichoke and Reggiano cheese ravioli, rosemary-crusted Elysian farm lamb, eggplant and Swiss chard and chocolate Napoleon.
President Bush, right, toasts with the Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi, left, during an Official Dinner in the State Dining Room Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, in Washington. Berlusconi told Bush he was "100 percent confident that we'll be friends forever."
Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi, left standing, holds the top portion of the podium as he walks over to President Bush, right seated, to thank him during an Official Dinner in the State Dining Room Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, in Washington. The podium came apart during Berlusconi's remarks to the President.
President Bush, right, toasts with the Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi, left, during an Official Dinner in the State Dining Room of the White House Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, in Washington.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, center, and his wife, Judith, right, wait in line to leave following the state dinner for the Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi in the East Room of the White House, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, in Washington. He was among several prominent Italian-Americans at the state dinner.
From left to right, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi, first lady Laura Bush, and President Bush are seated together during the the entertainment portion of the Official Dinner in the East Room of the White House, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, in Washington.
Former Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton-Kelley, right, sits with her husband, Shannon Kelley, left, during the entertainment portion of the Official Dinner for the Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi in the East Room of the White House, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, in Washington.
President Bush, right, on stage with singer Frankie Valli, center, following the entertainment portion of the Official Dinner for the Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi, left, in the East Room of the White House, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, in Washington.
President Bush, right, embraces singer Frankie Valli, center, on stage following the entertainment portion of the Official Dinner for the Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi, left, in the East Room of the White House, Monday, Oct. 13, 2008, in Washington. Also on stage members of the Broadway show the "Jersey Boys."