PHILADELPHIA — An alternative convention that promises to be anything but conventional got off to a raucous start Sunday when Sen. John McCain was interrupted by boos and hisses for departing from talk of campaign finance reform to underline his endorsement of George W. Bush.
McCain won cheers with his trademark attack on the influence of big money on politics at the "shadow convention," an unorthodox nonpartisan forum that is being staged during each of the party conventions by an unlikely coalition of social reformers and professional entertainers.
But the audience booed loudly when McCain said he felt bound "not by party loyalty but by sincere conviction" to urge Americans to support presumptive Republican nominee Bush.
McCain kept talking, praising Bush's education record in Texas, but the heckling escalated. One man shouted "Gong!" while another banged on the floor. A crowd of Native American rights activists chanted "Save Black Mesa!"--referring to an Arizona tribal land dispute.
"If you'd like, I don't need to continue," McCain told the protesters.
Conservative columnist Arianna Huffington, a co-convenor, stepped in, saying: "You know, this is the convention where we can listen to everything with respect."
McCain managed to finish his speech to the forum, which is being held at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Center, but sporadic interruptions continued.
McCain, who was suffering from stomach flu, left immediately after his speech. But he seemed to find the combative challenge invigorating.
"That's the nature of politics. It's fun," he said later. "We can't shut them out of the political process. I'm glad they're in it. If you proceed on the theory that independent voters are going to be the key to the election, then you have to go out and interface with them."
Huffington made it clear that lively exchanges are completely in keeping with the irreverent spirit of the shadow convention, a political hybrid that promises to use everything from speeches to stand-up satire to showcase campaign finance reform, the racial inequities of the drug war and the gap between rich and poor.
"This is a convention that is designed to promote debate, not stifle it," Huffington told the packed forum. "Those who want to hear people preach to the choir should go somewhere else."
The shadow convention also is not for people who don't like loud music and counterculture Americana.
