NEW YORK CITY - He's the one in the big white cowboy hat who isn't from Texas.

And Leon Mosley has seen himself go from being the butt of criticism to the target of autograph seekers at the Republican National Convention.

When a photo of Mosley shaking hands with a Missouri delegate - the same photo which appeared in Tuesday's Courier and Des Moines Register - appeared in USA Today, the Black Hawk County supervisor's John Hancock became a hot commodity.

"I've been signing autographs all afternoon," he said. "I'll bet I signed close to 50. The (New York) police department wanted them" in addition to other delegates.

Mosley took heat earlier in the week for some uncomplimentary comments about New Yorkers in The New York Times, in which he said he was misquoted and actually referring to some disruptive anti-Bush demonstrators outside the convention.

Mosley also attended a standing-room-only meeting of black Republicans, conducted by National Football League Hall of Fame wide receiver Lynn Swann of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Speakers included former Oklahoma U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts, who previously has appeared at speaking engagements in Waterloo.

Watts, a former University of Oklahoma quarterback, recalled meeting Mosley and fellow Supervisor Robert Smith during his visit, Mosley said.

Watts also remembered telling his wife, "There's blacks in Waterloo! And they're Republicans!" Mosley said.

Watts told Mosley the party now is 17 percent African-American.

Mosley's image also was projected up on the big screen at the NASDAQ stock exchange as he rang the opening bell signaling the beginning of trading Wednesday.

"Some of them (NASDAQ officials) said they never had someone in a cowboy hat ringing the bell," Mosley said.

While Mosley may have become a celebrity of sorts at the convention, he said Wednesday's headliner was U.S. Sen. Zell Miller, D-Ga., and his fiery attack on Democrat nominee Sen. John Kerry and defense of President Bush.

"Zell Miller, that was out of the park. It was an out-of-the-park homerun," Mosley said. When Miller said he would put family ahead of party, and trust Bush with his family, "that just hit home, man."

Mosley didn't get his chance to read the Iowa convention delegate vote count for president and vice president during the roll call of state. That task was performed by Iowa State Auditor Dave Vaudt. Still, Mosley said, "I got in the picture."

The day had its disruptions. A man was subdued on the convention floor during Vice President Dick Cheney's acceptance speech. And members of the anti-AIDS activist group ACT-UP disrupted one function attended by Republican National committee woman Phyllis Kelly of Charles City.

Pat Kinney can be reached at (319) 291- 1484 or pat.kinney@wcf courier,com