Protests plague president's visits.(NATION)

Byline: Bill Sammon, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

LOS ANGELES - The White House yesterday denounced a "left-wing fringe group" of protesters who assaulted members of a homosexual softball league, hurled a rock at President Bush's motorcade and insulted his daughters during a three-day presidential visit to the West Coast.

"People who say they're for peace and engage in violence are hard to understand," White House press secretary Ari Fleischer told The Washington Times. "They represent a real fringe group - in this case, a left-wing fringe group."

Mr. Fleischer was among several senior Bush aides in a car in the presidential motorcade that was struck by a rock while passing protesters outside Mr. Bush's hotel in Portland on …