PHILADELPHIA - ''If you like, I do not need to continue.''
Those words were spoken mid-address, and over loud jeers, by none other than Arizona Senator John McCain yesterday, a man lately unaccustomed to angry audiences.
McCain was the star attraction of the day at the Shadow Convention, an alternative gathering organized by conservative commentator Arianna Huffington, Common Cause, and other public interest groups, to highlight issues they say the major parties neglect: the corrupting influence of money in politics, growing economic inequality, and the failing war on drugs. Despite McCain's advocacy of sweeping campaign finance reform, this crowd, made up of Republicans and liberals who believe the GOP to be the preserve of the white middle class, were clearly no natural constituency for McCain.
The heckling from some in this diverse audience of 1,000 was so loud at one point that the feisty war veteran, who seriously challenged Texas Governor George W. Bush for the Republican nomination, seemed willing to walk away from the podium.
The reason for the uproar? McCain's loyalty to the GOP.
The senator's devotion to his party, not to mention his new admiration for Bush, was as unwelcome at the Shadow Convention as his criticisms of the party establishment and his advocacy of major campaign finance reform are at the Republican one, which begins today. The senator has long inhabited a murky middle ground, with members of the political establishment on one side and those who abhor it on the other. Yesterday's speech highlighted just how difficult it has been for him to find a comfortable home with either.
McCain had clearly expected to find a more sympathetic audience yesterday. And his speech began smoothly enough.
His calls for ''a commitment to break the iron triangle of money, lobbyists, and legislation,'' brought cheers from many in the audience, some of whom carried signs that read ''No Stock Options,'' ''The Rest of Us,'' and ''Disaffected.''
But the mood shifted swiftly as McCain extolled the GOP and Bush as the best avenues to reform.
The Republicans in the audience clapped loudly, but they did not drown out the first scattered boos, which gathered into a din when McCain began defending his primary season nemesis.
''I am obliged not by party loyalty, but by sincere conviction, to urge all Americans to support my party's nominee, Governor George Bush of Texas,'' McCain said. ''I think it is quite clear he is the candidate who offers change and that the vice president is the candidate of the status quo.''
Several minutes of that, and McCain was drowned out by cries of ''Get him off!'' and ''Gong! Gong! Gong!''
Huffington finally walked onto the stage to quiet the crowd.
Yesterday's event was to be the forum for McCain to say things that would not have been welcome in his speech to the party faithful Tuesday night. In his GOP convention speech, some of which has been leaked by the Bush campaign, McCain will speak in broad terms of Bush's worthiness.
McCain said he will talk of ''the potential of America for greatness,'' but not of campaign finance reform, the issue that defined his candidacy.
McCain has been negotiating delicate territory since he bowed out of what was sometimes a bitter race for the Republican nomination. He built his entire candidacy on the idea that he was different from the establishment and said repeatedly that Bush epitomized it.
But McCain said he has all but reconciled with Bush - personally, if not philosophically. Yesterday, in an emotional reception, he released his delegates to the Texas governor.
Wearing name tags that said ''Straight Talk Express,'' the delegates shouted, ''We love you, John!'' at the close of the senator's tearful thank-you speech.
But some in the crowd were unwilling to accept the end. After McCain announced that his delegates could vote officially for Bush, Massachusetts delegate Arthur Larrivee of Dartmouth stalked out of the room, disgusted.
''I wanted to see people draft him,'' Larrivee said.''I wanted a real race.''
The depth of the loyalty to McCain also showed when the local delegates boarded a chartered train from Boston to Philadelphia and learned they had to choose between two coinciding events: one with GOP vice presidential nominee Dick Cheney, the other with McCain.
For most the choice was easy: McCain.
They arrived just in time for the bittersweet goodbye, and for a few minutes face to face. That was good enough for delegate Spencer Goldstein of Sudbury, an Air Force veteran who wore his American Legion cap all day. He walked away with what he wanted: McCain's autograph on a photo of him standing next to his pickup, which was decorated in McCain signs and red, white, and blue bunting. He left a copy of the picture for McCain.
''We're all a little upset, but John is, if nothing else, a good military man,'' Goldstein said, noting that he was ready to do his duty and nominate Bush.
