House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s call Saturday for national unity was virtually shouted down by activists’ cries of “Impeach!” at the California Democratic Party’s convention in San Francisco, highlighting the rifts plaguing even her own party.

“We will go where the facts lead us,” Pelosi told delegates who gathered to hear 14 presidential candidates make their case for taking back the White House. “President Trump will be held accountable for his actions — in the Congress, in the courts and in the court of public opinion.”

She added that “we will strive to unify, not divide, our country as we protect and defend it.” But for many in the crowd filled with progressive party activists, nothing but an immediate effort to oust Trump will do.

“With Democrats in the majority, we will legislate,” Pelosi told the convention, as cries of “Impeach!” grew louder. “But we will also investigate and litigate to protect our democracy.”

Pelosi recognized that her “slow but steady” position wasn’t popular with the crowd.

“I told you this was like coming home for me,” the San Francisco Democrat said, her only acknowledgment of the shouting from the floor of Moscone Center.

Pelosi has steadfastly insisted on sticking with House inquiries into the Trump administration on several fronts before beginning any impeachment proceedings. She has left open the possibility of such proceedings but has shown little enthusiasm for them.

Facing polls that show impeachment to be a mixed bag at best for the Democrats in 2020, and a disaster at worst, Pelosi has warned that Trump is “goading” her party into trying to oust him, knowing the GOP-controlled Senate is unlikely to convict him.

The calls for impeachment weren’t coming only from the convention floor. In her speech to delegates, California Sen. Kamala Harris got her biggest reaction when she said, “We need to begin new impeachment proceedings, and we need a new commander in chief.”

Pro-impeachment forces were hoping for a dose of red meat from billionaire activist Tom Steyer, who has spent millions on Need to Impeach, the group he founded to push toward ousting Trump.

But Steyer’s speech went on so long that by the time he got to his point about impeaching Trump, he was forced off the stage. The end of his remarks were drowned out by music.

Those attending the convention were split on Pelosi’s approach.

“Over her decades, Nancy Pelosi has proven that she knows how to read the Democratic Party,” said Eric Kingsley, 47, an attorney from Encino (Los Angeles County) and first-time delegate.

He said there is plenty of evidence to impeach Trump, but no point in doing so if the Senate is just going to acquit the president: “We can’t be doing it just to make ourselves feel better.”

Others were starting to lose patience with Pelosi.

“There needs to be the start of an inquiry,” said Cathy Kennedy, 62, a nurse from Carmichael (Sacramento County).

Kennedy said she understands that Pelosi is trying to build a case against Trump, but without an impeachment inquiry, Democrats would not be able to get the evidence they needed.

“Talk is cheap,” she said.

For most delegates, the convention’s spotlight was on the presidential candidates, who each had just seven minutes to sell themselves to the crowd.

Harris was the first presidential hopeful to speak, giving an address that was heavy on criticism of Trump.

She called the tariffs he has imposed on Chinese products “Trump’s trade tax,” and argued that the president’s behavior, including his tweets, were distracting from how he is “quietly deregulating and deconstructing our government and our democracy.”

The response for former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke was more muted as he focused on ending “the chaos that Donald Trump has created at the U.S.-Mexico border.” He promised to bring 11 million undocumented Americans “out of the shadows” and make them “citizens in this, their true home country.”

One crowd favorite was Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who received a rapturous cheer as she walked out to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.” Warren, an outspoken progressive, took some shots at unnamed Democrats running more to the center.

“When a candidate tells you about all the things that aren’t possible, about how political calculations come first, about how you should settle for little bits and pieces instead of real change, they’re telling you something important,” she said. “They’re telling you they will not fight for you.”

One of those running to the center is former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, but his message wasn’t what many convention delegates wanted to hear. He drew loud boos when he warned the crowd, “If we want to beat Donald Trump and achieve big progressive goals, socialism is not the answer.”

Moments later, he broke with his prepared remarks to warn, “If we’re not careful, we’re going to end up helping to re-elect the worst president in American history.”

Hickenlooper was followed by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, who received a big reaction when he opened with, “I am the governor who doesn’t think we should be ashamed of our progressive values.”

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders wasn’t scheduled to speak until Sunday morning, so he took a road trip to San Jose to find an audience.

Speaking to a crowd at Guadalupe River Park near downtown, he warned that he is the only presidential candidate who can truly challenge the power of America’s economic elite.

Unless the country elects someone like him, who doesn’t need to depend on special interests like the health care and fossil fuel industries for campaign cash, only modest progressive wins will be possible, Sanders said.

“The 1 percent is 1 percent,” he said. “In other words, they have the money, they have the power. We have the people.”

Harris is the hometown favorite. As the former district attorney of San Francisco, a two-term state attorney general and now California’s junior senator, she has a connection with the state and its voters that none of the other candidates can match.

As the second morning of the weekend convention kicked off, more than 100 Harris supporters staged a show of force outside Moscone Center, then marched in chanting, “Whose house? Our house!”

Chronicle staff writers Joe Garofoli and John Wildermuth contributed to this report.

Alexei Koseff, Dustin Gardiner and Tal Kopan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com, dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle, tal.kopan@sfchronicle Twitter: @akoseff, @talkopan, @dustingardiner