BOSTON – In rumpled cargo pants and holding a thermos of what one could presume based on the early hour to be coffee, actor John Cusack meandered into the morning breakfast with a simple message.

“I’ll do whatever it takes,” he told the gathering of Maine delegates to the Democratic National Convention of his efforts to defeat President Bush in November and elect the party’s presumptive nominee, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry.

Monday’s visit from Cusack, star of several Hollywood films including the recent “Runaway Jury,” was unexpected, but not out of place at the 7:30 a.m. breakfast, which already was playing host to another star.

Comedian, author and radio personality Al Franken, brother-in-law of Maine delegate Carla Bryson of Portland, predictably had little nice to say about Bush, a common target of Franken’s sardonic wit.

“These guys are inept,” Franken said after recounting for Maine’s 35 delegates several apparent miscues by the administration, including, he said, overestimating Iraq’s ability to produce weapons of mass destruction and the country’s link with al-Qaida.

Much has been made of the tone of this week’s convention, which began Monday at Boston’s FleetCenter. Kerry, set to accept the party’s nomination Thursday, in several recent interviews has stressed the need to keep the event “positive and upbeat.”

But Franken pulled no punches in his 10-minute speech to the receptive crowd at the Colonnade Hotel. In recollecting a recent interview with former President Clinton, Franken found little comparison to Bush, known in comic circles for his misuse or mispronunciation of certain words.

“It was astounding to remember that a president can think and talk at the same time,” Franken said, eliciting laughs from the crowd. “In fairness to Bush, there’s more to being president than being articulate, intelligent and knowledgeable.”

Franken, who often calls Bush a liar and means it, said he has gained notice from campaign watchers for the sometimes harsh language he uses to describe Republicans. In fact, one almost expects Franken – author of the best sellers “Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot” and “Lies and the Lying Liars who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right” – not to mince his words.

Ed Desgrosseilliers, a delegate from Auburn, had a newly signed copy of the latter book in his wife’s bag.

“He’s great,” Desgrosseilliers said of Franken, who also addressed Maine Democrats by television at their state convention this spring.

It’s safe to say Peter Cianchette, chairman of Bush’s Maine campaign, did not share Desgrosseilliers’ view. In a conference call with Maine reporters, Cianchette said Franken’s profession and reputation shouldn’t give him a “free pass” to operate outside the bounds of civility.

“Americans want to hear a positive message for the future,” Cianchette said. “What the country doesn’t need to hear is the angry rhetoric. That will be the fine line [Democrats] have to walk this week.”

Jesse Derris, Kerry’s spokesman in Maine, said the tenor of Franken’s criticisms would not find its way to the FleetCenter stage.

“Clearly it’s not the style of the convention we want to see,” Derris said. “We are going to stick to talking about John Kerry’s and John Edwards’ positive vision for an America stronger at home and respected abroad.”