PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A country band blared across a cruise ship terminal decked in checkered flags. Senators and their biggest political benefactors posed for photos alongside hotrods. And racing's biggest stars obliged with autographs.

This was the Republican "Race to Victory," a banner overhead proudly declared.

And, oh yeah. Credit card giant MBNA Corp., a beneficiary of bankruptcy legislation pending in the Republican-controlled Congress, picked up the tab.

"This is far more preferable than sticking the whole load on the taxpayers," Sen. Christopher Bond, chairman of the Senate's Small Business Committee, said, defending the corporate largess as he made the rounds at the lavish GOP convention reception.

Over pate or quiche. In historic opera houses or on private yachts. With Motown entertainment or quiet drinks in a luxury skybox. Corporate America and their "friends" in government are wining and dining together.

This week's flavor in Philadelphia was decisively Republican. In two weeks, it will change to Democrat when the second nominating convention is held in Los Angeles.

The list of benefactors reads like a Who's Who of Corporate America: AT&T, the Baby Bells, First Union, U.S. Tobacco, Wells Fargo, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, DaimlerChysler and General Motors to name a few.

Why is it done?

The banking industry offered its answer in a memo urging financial companies to pay for a lavish party honoring House Banking Committee members. It listed seven reasons -- including that the committee is considering a "myriad" of bills affecting the industry.

"The event will generate positive buzz, invitations will be eagerly sought and participating sponsors will be remembered," the memo promised.

Those who revile the spiraling chase for political money point to a stunning fact about the 2000 conventions -- special interests will lay out more than $40 million to pay for the glitz.

"We've hit rock bottom," said Fred Wertheimer, who's advocated restricting political giving for more than two decades as head of the citizen groups Common Cause and Democracy 21. "It's a 24-hour, seven-day nonstop fund-raising operation."

Those who accept and solicit the largess say the $13.5 million each political party got from the government to pay for its convention isn't enough to cover the hundreds of side events that foster political discourse.

"We couldn't put on the convention without them," said Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, chief fund-raiser for GOP senators.

Whatever the case, no expense in Philadelphia was too great to spare.

Union Pacific laid a half-mile of temporary tracks near the GOP convention site and moved a vintage train from Omaha, Neb., to be used for entertaining. That gesture came as Congress considers reauthorizing the agency that regulates the rail industry.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce treated members of Congress to drinks aboard the train, where they could watch Sen. John McCain's convention speech in the comfort of a wood-lined, air conditioned rail car from Dwight Eisenhower's era.

The group, which also is taking GOP leaders for a cruise aboard Amway Corp.'s yacht, makes no apologies for using the events to talk business, like pressing lawmakers for a Senate vote on permanent trade status for China.

"We're putting the heat on here a little bit," Chamber president Thomas Donahue acknowledged. "We got the votes, and now we've got to get it to the floor."

Goodwill flows the other way, too. The GOP treated its $100,000-plus donors, who will be called on again this fall, to a skybox in the convention hall. Donors get an eagle's eye view, food, cocktails, an Internet-equipped computer and a chance to mingle with GOP luminaries.

On Tuesday night, the party faithful raised their drinks and cheered from the box as Ronald Reagan's image appeared on stage. Former Clinton White House press secretary Mike McCurry and entertainer Art Linkletter were among the guests.

Special interests were also busy staging salutes for the governors, the members of Congress and the state officials who control the regulations and legislation affecting their businesses. Some were big bashes, with six-figure price tags and music stars like the Temptations, Shirelles and Brooks & Dunn. Others were small and intimate.

Arch Coal Inc., engaged in the coal industry's struggle for survival, flew its vice president from St. Louis to host a $2,000 buffet for West Virginia Gov. Cecil Underwood and his delegates.

"The Republican Party in West Virginia is clear on helping the coal industry survive," delegate Troy Andes said. "That doesn't mean one day when I am serving in Congress that I am going to vote a certain way because Arch Coal gave me a piece of cheese at a reception."