Simi Valley, Calif. ? President Bush on Friday compared the war against terrorism to Ronald Reagan’s battle against communism and vowed that the United States would prevail over Islamic extremists just as it did in the showdown with the Soviet Union.

“Like the ideology of communism, Islamic radicalism is doomed to fail,” Bush said.

The president spoke at the ribbon-cutting of a pavilion featuring a gleaming Air Force One at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. He participated in a wreath-laying at the grave of the revered Republican and basked in warm wishes from former first lady Nancy Reagan.

“We’re great fans of Nancy Reagan,” Bush said standing before the Boeing 747 that carried Reagan and six other presidents. “We admire her strength. We admire the love she has for her husband, and we’re grateful for her friendship.”

Despite the cheerful ceremony, Bush’s visit rankled some California Republicans, who felt his appearances were poorly timed so close to the Nov. 8 special gubernatorial election.

While he is a Reagan admirer, Bush is in a far different position politically than the late president was at this time in his eight-year tenure. Bush’s job approval rating has dipped below 40 percent, while Reagan’s approval rating was at 63 percent in October 1985.

Bush’s popularity in California is low, part of the reason that Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was a no-show at a $1 million fundraiser attended by the president Thursday night and the Reagan library event the next day.

The library event was marred by fog that settled in over Simi Valley, shrouding the glassed-in pavilion at the hilltop library. Visibility was so bad that the audience could hear but couldn’t see F-16 fighter jets that flew by to end the event.

Bush said that Reagan, over eight years, logged more than 630,000 miles on Air Force One on 211 missions.

“At the beginning of his presidency, Ronald Reagan declared that the years ahead would be great ones ‘for the cause of freedom and the spread of civilization,”‘ Bush said. “He dismissed communism as ‘a bizarre chapter in human history whose last pages were being written.’ For eight years he acted on that conviction, and shortly after he left office, the Berlin Wall came down, the ‘Evil Empire’ collapsed, and the cause of liberty prevailed in the Cold War.”

Bush said the same defeat awaits terrorists.

“We will prevail in the war on terror because this generation is determined to meet the threats of our time,” the president said. “We understand our duty; we understand our responsibility to the American people.

“There will be tough moments ahead on this path to victory. Yet, we have confidence in our cause because we have seen America face down brutal enemies before.”

Schwarzenegger rebuffed requests from leading California Democrats that he break from his special-election campaign long enough to meet with Bush and ask the president for more federal money.

The Republican governor said he was too busy before the Nov. 8 vote to meet with the president or attend the library event. Schwarzenegger also said he was not happy that Bush was raising money in California so close to the special election.

The Air Force One Pavilion, which also houses an old Marine One helicopter, a presidential limousine and a replica of an Irish pub, tells the story of Reagan’s two-term presidency. Visitors who walk through the plane will see Reagan’s beloved jelly beans on the presidential conference table.