The leader of the free world came to Philadelphia yesterday and declared that he's been following the mayor's race here and he just doesn't get it.

President Clinton, at a boisterous pep rally for fellow Democrat John Street on the La Salle University campus, suggested that the veteran former City Council president, after working so closely with popular Mayor Rendell, shouldn't be having such a tough time against Republican Sam Katz.

"If you have evidence on the main issue of education and evidence on the main issue of tax cuts and fiscal responsibility and the economy," said Clinton, after reciting the arguments to elect Street, then pausing: "What is the deal?"

The deal, of course, is that Street is running neck-and-neck with Katz, who's seeking to become Philadelphia's first GOP mayor in a half-century.

That's why Clinton, Rendell and a host of Democrats including Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., piled onto the stage at La Salle's Tom Gola Arena - named, ironically, for the basketball star who became the last Republican elected city controller - to urge the party faithful to support Street.

Signs plastered on the back walls of the arena read "The Party Is Intact," and if anyone missed the message, the disco classic "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge blared three or four times from the loudspeaker. The crowd of about 3,000 people - the back rows on both sides of the field house were surprisingly empty - waved blue pom-poms and chanted "Street '99!"

Many of those at the two-hour rally were labor leaders or Democratic committee members - two key groups that the Street campaign is counting on for a large turnout. Democrats have a nearly 4-1 voter registration edge in Philadelphia, but Katz has made it a race by winning support, at least in public opinion polls, from nearly three-of-five white Democrats.

Unlike Street, who spent much of the last week celebrating his Democratic roots, Katz has not campaigned with Republicans and has downplayed his GOPties.

Yesterday, appearing with Street on Channel 10, Katz said the Clinton visit was unimportant because the president is "an outsider." He said, "When Mr. Clinton came to Philadelphia this morning, there were more than 40,000 abandoned vehicles, and when he left they were still there."

While Clinton didn't directly address the role of race in the election, U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, the city Democratic chief who gave a frenetic warm-up address, did, saying that Street was in such a close election "because he doesn't look like me."

Clinton, for his part, voiced what other Street supporters have said in recent days, questioning why the Democrat isn't getting more credit from the improvements in Philadelphia while he served as Council chief.

The president said he has been reading the local press, and while he didn't mention either the Daily News or Inquirer by name, he seemed to take issue with recent editorials in both papers endorsing Katz.

"They said the Democrat was a good man but he didn't have vision and wasn't charismatic," Clinton said after Street introduced him with a more rousing speech than most he's given recently.

"I don't know who they were talking about because the guy who introduced me had vision and charisma."

About 60 people protested on a nearby street corner, many opposing abortion and some angered that the pro-abortion rights president was allowed to speak at the Catholic university.

Clinton was interrupted by four protesters chanting "U.S. out of Vieques now," referring to the disputed Navy bombing range in Puerto Rico. They were escorted out.