THE REFORM ADVOCATES

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of Republicans and
Democrats?

Delegates at the Shadow Convention say they know.

The day after its delegates booed their former hero, Sen. John McCain,
for supporting his fellow Republican, Texas Gov. George W. Bush, for
president, participants in the Shadow Convention got down to talking
about stuff that its organizers say the major parties won't talk about.

An alternative gala running concurrently with the Republican National
Convention, the Shadow Convention is being held across town at the
University of Pennsylvania.

"People are coming here because they feel excluded from the other
process. The issues they feel are important are not being addressed,"
said Arianna Huffington, the glam and glib convenor of these
media-wise gabfests combining civics and comedy.

When delegates yelled "Gong!" and booed McCain, Huffington said, it
demonstrated just how different the Shadow Conventions are going to be
from this week's Republican National Convention and the upcoming
Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles.

"We showed that if you're going to have an open convention, you can't
control everything. It's not scripted," she said. "People hear things
they may not agree with. You're not just preaching to the choir."

On Monday, the Shadow Convention focused on the first of its three
major issues: How big money is corrupting politics. The war on drugs
and the growing gap between rich and poor Americans will be the
subject of coming sessions.

While the days will be filled with serious discussions, satire rules
the evenings. Huffington and comedian Al Franken and other irreverent
observers provide running commentary on live feeds from the real
conventions.

Monday's serious speakers ranged from movie star Billy Baldwin,
president of the Creative Coalition, to "Granny D" -- 90-year-old
Doris Haddock, who walked from Pasadena, Calif., to Washington, D.C.,
in a 14-month hike for campaign finance reform.

Carrie Bolton, minister of the Alston Chapel Holy Church in Pittsboro,
N.C., led the audience in singing an altered civil rights tune.

"I ain't gonna let big money turn me around, turn me around," they
sang. "I'm gonna keep on marchin' up the freedom way."

In the lobby, Rob R. Barron (aka Bo Chagnon of Atlanta) wore a top hat
and tuxedo and a button for "Billionaires for Bush (Or Gore)." Chagnon
said the Shadow Convention highlights the growing divide between the
nation's haves and have-nots, and he said both major party conventions
are controlled by the haves.

Sponsored by Common Cause and Public Campaign, the Shadow Convention
is being held in the university's auditorium decorated with red, white
and blue balloons. Instead of displaying the names of states, signs
saying "Disillusioned" or "Disappointed" or "Downsized" distinguish
sections of delegates.

"We can do better as a nation. That's why we're here at the Shadow
Convention," declared Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn.

"Thank y'all for what y'all are doing," said Rep. Mark Sanford,
R-S.C., praising "the notion of building a convention around the power
of ideas rather then the power of influence."

Sanford and McCain are the only Republican members of Congress to
venture across town from the GOP convention to speak to the
alternative. Their messages blended into the theme that big campaign
contributions from corporations and unions have corrupted the
political process.