Bennett's declaration of the state's unflagging loyalty to Bush capped a feel-good day for the state's delegates, who came to the evening session after a day that included volunteering at a soup kitchen for homeless people on Staten Island and witnessing the "Broadway debut" of songs written by Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch.

"My gosh, I'm falling into a maudlin mess," Hatch said, wiping away tears.

Legendary composer Cy Coleman and Grammy Award-winning singer Phoebe Snow had just surprised the Utah songwriter with a live performance of his new ballad, "Are You Lonely Here With Me." The recognition came during an exclusive tribute luncheon at the Broadway Avenue headquarters of performing rights licensing giant ASCAP.

Hatch ''is one of us and we are so grateful," said John LoFrumento, CEO of the society that protects copyrights of music composers, authors and publishers.

Bennett and Hatch weren't the only Utah members of Congress to find themselves in spotlights Tuesday. First District Rep. Rob Bishop joined Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson on the convention-hall floor to host a segment of "Closeup" on cable TV network C-SPAN, fielding questions from a group of high school students.

"If anyone tells you this is just about oil, don't trust them on anything else because they're wrong," Bishop said in response to a student's challenge that President Bush took the United States to war with Iraq to secure the Persian Gulf nation's petroleum resources.

After an opening day Monday that was loaded with meetings, floor speeches, platform votes and other party business, Tuesday's convention schedule only revolved around the evening prime-time lineup of speakers. That gave Utah delegates and alternates the day to sightsee, shop, and attend hospitality and fund-raising events sponsored by special-interests groups.

The political pitches at the latter events were generally low key, however, due to speech restrictions in the new campaign-finance law that prohibit corporate funds from being used to help or target specific candidates.

Speeches at corporate-sponsored receptions honoring particular lawmakers are supposed to be void of advocacy, and some states have given delegates lists of "forbidden" words such as "defeat," "fund-raiser" and "candidate."

"It's silly," Bennett said after Citibank and Mastercard hosted about 100 people at an ice-cream social in his honor aboard the luxury yacht "Lady Windridge" that was moored at Chelsea Pier on the Hudson River. "The main effect of this so-called campaign reform is to regulate free speech and drive political money underground. It's absolutely stupid."

Some members of the Utah GOP convention delegation - which is about 200 strong, including delegates, alternates, guests, party staff and family members - did manage to secure seats to clearly non-political events Tuesday: the U.S. Open tennis match, studio audiences of the "Late Show with David Letterman" and the "Daily Show with Jon Stewart," and the Major League Baseball Yankee's home stand with Cleveland.

But no Utah conventioneer managed to rise early enough Tuesday to trek to a nearby hotel to greet former governor and current EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt, who spoke to about 20 Indiana conventioneers at an 8 a.m. party meet-and-greet.

"Go, Hoosiers," quipped Leavitt.

Added Ohio Republican Rep. Rob Portman: "The Utah crew must have had a big party last night. I met one Utah person and she said she's only here because she works for Mike in Washington."

csmith@sltrib.com