Hurricane Gustav Hits Haiti, Jindal May Have To Miss Republican Convention

The Associated Press reports:

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Hurricane Gustav barreled into Haiti on Tuesday, toppling trees, dumping rain and sending global fuel prices soaring on fears the storm could become "extremely dangerous" when it reaches the Gulf of Mexico.

The hurricane roared ashore with top sustained winds near 90 mph (145 kph) at about 1 p.m. EDT, 10 miles (16 kms) west of the city of Jacmel and 40 miles (65 kms) from the capital of Port-au-Prince. Heavy rains pelted the area, bending palm trees and kicking up surf along waterfronts of dilapidated wooden buildings.

"If the rain continues, we'll be flooded," U.N. consultant Jean Gardy said from the southeastern town of Marigot.

CNN is reporting that the Hurricane's approach to the Gulf of Mexico may force Louisiana Governor and possible Republican vice presidential nominee Bobby Jindal to skip the Republican National Convention next week.

Three years to the week since Hurricane Katrina battered the Louisiana coast, some forecast models suggest the storm could pose another threat to the state next week.

Jindal, reported to be on John McCain's shortlist for VP, told reporters in Baton Rouge Tuesday afternoon he will not go to St Paul if the storm continues to move in a northwesterly track toward his state.

Considered to be a rising star in the Republican Party, Jindal is scheduled to deliver a high-profile address in prime time at the convention next Wednesday. But he said, "My first priority is with the state of Louisiana. Certainly if the storm continues to come our way, I'll change my travel plans."

Comments

[Mecklen]

The radical GOP Christianists have been praying for a storm to drench Obama's speech on thursday. And now this: a possible Cat 3-4 hurricane coming just as their convention starts. It boggles the mind.

Let's pray our gulf coast will be spared.

And lets pray just as hard that Haiti will get no more storms this year - or interference from the US ever.

[TimmySlagle]

Here we go. Another perfectly normal summer weather event gets filed under the 'Crazy Weather" section of the Huffington Post.

And you wonder why we're skeptical?

Google: "Propaganda"

[Graywolf48]

Gustav is forecast to become a Category 3 and possibly even a Category 4 storm. Current predictions are it will strike Louisiana. A very serious storm striking a very vulnerable area that has still not recovered from Katrina. This may very well be the death knell for New Orleans. With Gustav in the Louisiana/Texas coastal area, oil platforms will be shutdown for days, severely damaged and again tons of oil will end up in the Gulf. This storm may very well be a human, ecological and economic nightmare. In any event, it's nothing for anyone of any political persuasion to be joking about. I went through Andrew in 1992. I know what horror these people are about to face, yet again. I personally find no humor in tragedy.

[LookingGlass]

Ah, a Cat 1 hurricane hitting desperately impoverished (and messed with time and again by the U.S.) Haiti again.

Could anyone please remind me why we are not more concerned about the deaths in our own backyard so to speak, rather than Darfur or Georgia, half a world away?

Surely not because Haiti doesn't have any oil, or oil pipelines, or anything.

[totalliberal]

Do you remember that some born-again christian/­republican­s were praying for rain during the Obama speech. Stop playing with mother nature.

(And please protect those poor people in NOL. They have suffered enough and the shrub is still in command. No help there.)

[blueroses70]

Good for Bobby Jindal for saying ahead of time that he'll stay if the storm comes. That's the right thing to do.

[gascelebrations]

As much as I don't like the guy, it says alot about his leadership that he's not going the Brownie route. Hopefully it won't hit NOLA and just fizz out in the middle of the gulf or something.

[wagonjak]

The sad irony is that Gustav could hit New Orleans during the Republican Convention in Minnesota.­..I can't believe most people wouldn't see a horrifying connection to the past....

[DAdvocate123]

It was once a joke to claim that the people on the Left will blame Republicans on the weather.

For the love of god will you people realize how insane you have become.

[TimmySlagle]

The funniest part is, they MOCK people like Robertson, who blames the weather on sinful activity.

[Budokan]

Why doesn't Jindal perform an exorcism to drive the hurricane away?

[johnsopinion]

Let's see......
(August 26, 2008 03:47 PM EST)
"The hurricane roared ashore with top sustained winds near 90 mph (145 kph) at about 1 p.m. EDT, 10 miles (16 kms) west of the city of Jacmel and 40 miles (65 kms) from the capital of Port-au-Pr­ince."

Yeah, folks bordering the Gulf of Mexico are running to gas stations to fill up thereby creating a
DEMAND for gasoline. In fact, they have probably cleaned out the stores of gas in all filling stations around the Gulf thereby decreasing the SUPPLY? (And how far away from the Gulf is Haiti?)

I think that pretty well covers "supply and demand" as the reason prices fluctuate.
'God Bless those who profit from the misfortune of others.
We know THEIR hearts are in the right place.
Right.

[vietveter]

and sending global fuel prices soaring on fears the storm could become "extremely dangerous" when it reaches the Gulf of Mexico.

WHAT A CROCK !!!

like they need an excuse to tighten the screws

MSM - please stop reporting this as fact

[darthdarcy]

Dick Cheney stubs big toe, Oil Prices sky rocket..!

Wake up America you're being robbed..!

[gascelebrations]

*crickets*

We need a Bastille to storm.

[TimmySlagle]

No, you need enraged masses.

In America, there is a peaceful Revolution every couple years. The truth is, the majority of the Nation is quite content with the Status Quo.

Outside a few unemployed cranks here at the HuffPo, there isn't a lot of Anger.

Not much ambition either. Even if there was a bastille to storm, you would all be sitting at your computer waiting for the revolution to start on YouTube.

[ebm]

Hope the best. It's a shame things like this have to happen.

[robiform]

Hoping for the best for the folks in Gustav's path--this one looks like it's going to be really mean. This is the height of hurricane season, so everyone along the Gulf and the Atlantic should stay alert for the next couple of months.

[iabucus]

As this grows and heads towards the open Gulf on a beeline for New Orleans...­...could be a cat 3 or 4 and would be Monday or Tuesday landfall..­....while our prayers are for anyone in its path....do­es anyone else see the irony of the people of New Orleans suffering yet again while the Republicans party away next week in Minneapoli­s.........­...Maybe the gods are reminding us why we need to turn the page this election!

[IzzyCA]

I hope it doesn't hit New Orleans. That would be heartbreaking - again.

[marymansour]

Poor Haiti. Those troubled people have enough problems without the weather socking it to them.