URLINGAME, Calif. - Emboldened by his successes in New Hampshire and beyond last week, and facing a barrage of criticism from the campaign of George W. Bush, John McCain yesterday displayed his most combative attitude yet.
''I say to my friend Governor Bush that we do not need petty, negative ads and personal attacks,'' said McCain, referring to his opponent, who was not present at this weekend's California GOP convention.
''Those are the tactics of Clinton and Gore, candidates that we should defeat and not imitate,'' McCain told an audience of several hundred at the convention. ''A campaign for the great office of the presidency should be about far bigger things, and if you can't compete in the arena of ideas and leadership, you're not ready for the job.''
These comments were as direct a criticism of Bush as McCain has offered. Until now, McCain has alluded to Bush's preparedness for the presidency only obliquely, saying, for example, that ''some people say Bush is not ready for prime time.''
After McCain's lopsided victory Tuesday in New Hampshire, the Texas governor launched an advertisement in South Carolina accusing McCain of knowingly misrepresenting his position on Social Security.
McCain frequently says Bush would set aside ''not one penny'' for Social Security under his tax plan. Bush says he fully intends to devote the Social Security surplus to the future of the retirement fund.
The Bush campaign has also released a statement citing a comment by a McCain supporter and adviser, former US representative Vin Weber of Minnesota, saying he would support Bush's tax plan.
''The Bush campaign has stooped to a new low by twisting my words to mislead voters,'' Weber said yesterday. ''Desperate campaigns take desperate measures, and this one is as sad as it is transparent.''
The move by the Bush camp has incensed the McCain campaign, and Weber, who said that his comments were taken out of context, said he continues to support McCain's plan, which he helped formulate. McCain's plan sets aside more of the surplus to shore up Social Security.
In an indirect concession to Bush yesterday, McCain amended his usual ''not one penny'' to ''not one new penny.'' But he ceded no further ground.
''On reading this morning's newspapers, I am saddened that in an act of desperation Governor Bush is running negative and misleading ads in South Carolina,'' McCain said in his speech. ''Two days ago, he charged that I don't care about our nation's veterans,'' referring to comments made by a Bush supporter at a rally on Thursday.
Although the convention was loaded with Bush supporters, the lunch audience, having paid $25 each to hear him speak, was wildly enthusiastic for the Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war.
As he has done often in the last week, McCain repeatedly cited President Ronald Reagan as his model, casting his push for campaign finance as an extension of Reagan's 1976 pledge to do away with ''the Washington buddy system.''
''We sent him to Washington to do battle with those forces who stand between the American people and the American dream,'' McCain said of Reagan. ''It's time to recover our heritage of reform.''
Meanwhile, Bush, who has garnered enormous support from politicians and party organizers in California, spent the day with family and advisers in Austin.
In his place, he sent his brother Jeb Bush, the governor of Florida, who sang the candidate's praises Friday night.
It was something of a reversal for Bush, at the end of a week stacked with them. On Tuesday, McCain defeated Bush soundly in New Hampshire. Two days later, he topped him in a poll in South Carolina, after the Arizona senator had trailed Bush by 20 points. On Thursday, Bush and Governor George E. Pataki of New York dropped their effort to exclude McCain from the New York primary.
''I am sorry to see Governor Bush can't be here today,'' McCain told his audience. ''I understand he's back in Austin, finishing up his new book, `A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to My Coronation.'''
Bush supporters at the convention said they did not feel that the governor's absence was a problem. Bush was busy, they said, and they were confident they would see a lot more of him before the March 7 primary.
''Governor Bush is in Texas taking care of state business,'' said his spokesman, Scott McClellan. ''He is recharging, and charging on to Delaware and South Carolina.
The governor has campaigned 11 days in California, including announcing a major education reform initiative before Latino business leaders in Los Angeles on September 2d.''
Not so, said McCain sympathizers.
''It's a big mistake for Bush not to be here,'' said Susan Dockter of Folsom, who was wearing an ''I miss President Reagan'' button. ''This is his party's convention, a big rally they're having here before the primary in four weeks. The people who are here are the people who are working really hard on the campaigns. Maybe he thinks they don't need to hear from him personally.''
McCain spent two weeks in California in the summer and will spend a few more days there leading up to the primary. Aides say his success in California will depend on expensive air time, and on momentum coming out of New Hampshire and, they hope, South Carolina, after its Feb. 19 primary.
Whether most Republicans in California will warm to him when Bush has much institutional support in the huge state, and after McCain's provocative comments about the GOP establishment, is an open question.
McCain aides say a win in South Carolina would seal his success in the Golden State. After that, they say, McCain's electability will be affirmed, and the party faithful will set aside all other differences.
Over the last five days, McCain and his aides have been relentlessly pushing the senator's potential for a November victory. If McCain can convince enough Republicans of that, goes their argument, he can win, especially in California.
''California is desperate to win,'' said Ken Khachigian, a veteran GOP strategist. Bush's many endorsements ''grew out of this burning, yearning desire to win. There's the stench of defeat all through California.''
