Davenport, Ia. — Republican presidential candidate John McCain at a campaign event in Davenport today accused protesters of being oblivious to the need for consensus during the nation's difficult times.

Midway through McCain's late-morning speech at the River Center, a woman on the shoulders of a man began shouting and holding up a sign that said "The war is over."

The crowd of roughly 2,000 started a chorus of boos and "We want John!" before ripping the sign from her hands. The woman pulled out another and unfolded it, only to have it ripped away too.

McCain has called for unity during similar outbursts, such as those during the Republican National Convention in St. Paul and a campaign rally in Iowa last month.

"You know, my friends, one of the things Americans want us to do is stop yelling at each other," McCain said at a campaign rally in Cedar Rapids three weeks ago where protesters interrupted several times.

But this time McCain invoked the nation's economic crisis as a reason to criticize the antagonists.

"You know, my friends, there's a prefect of example of some people that just don't get it," McCain said, igniting cheers.

"As people are trying to stay in their homes, keep their jobs and afford health care, is what they want for us to yell at each other? No," McCain said. "They want us to sit down together, Republicans and Democrats, and work together in this terrible time of crisis, the largest financial crisis in our history."

McCain went on to note his habit of headlining campaign events where he invites questions from the audience.

"I always give people a chance to talk. I don't always enjoy it," he joked. "But I give them a chance to talk, and that's what it's all about."

McCain spoke for 25 minutes, but did not take questions in Davenport as he did in Wisconsin on Thursday, when some supporters expressed frustration with McCain's campaign.

McCain instead stressed his proposals to allow delinquent mortgage-holders remain in their homes and retirees stem their investment losses. He also called into question Democrat Barack Obama's record of accomplishment. But he stopped short of invoking his past association with 1960s radical William Ayers.

Today's event was McCain's sixth Iowa campaign event since clinching the nomination in March, and his third in about as many weeks.

Polls show McCain trailing Obama in Iowa, a state that has been decided by very narrow margins in the past two presidential elections.