John Boehner, House Republicans' leader, was shouted down by union employees this morning when he used President Bush's key argument for continuing to fight the war in Iraq. The workers at the AFL-CIO's Building and Construction Trades Department conference erupted into jeers when Mr. Boehner told them the United States must fight in Iraq so it's not "fighting them here on the streets of America."

In trying to calm the crowd, he only made them angrier when he acknowledged the disagreement but said the fight was coming "and if we don't fight them now, when will we fight them?"

The union members that make up the building and construction trades were the backbone of the blue collar Reagan Democrats, and to have lost them so resoundingly should worry Republicans hoping to maintain the White House and recapture Congress.

Following Mr. Boehner on the speaker's platform, Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards drew a loud standing ovation when he challenged Mr. Bush on the war: "It's time to ask the president to be patriotic about something other than war," Mr. Edwards said.

Joining Mr. Edwards to address today's conference are most of the Democrats running for president. No Republican candidates are expected to speak.

-- Stephen Dinan, The Washington Times