McCain May Give Convention Speech From Disaster Zone

President Bush is unlikely to make it to the Republican National Convention and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) may deliver his acceptance speech by satellite because of the historically huge hurricane threatening New Orleans, top officials said.

But officials insisted that, the convention, scheduled to open here on Monday, will go on -- albeit in a more limited and sedate form, if Hurricane Gustav stays on its projected path. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin ordered a mandatory evacuation beginning at 8 a.m. Sunday after federal officials said Gustav could grow to a catastrophic Category 5, hitting Monday afternoon between East Texas and western Mississippi.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[MissDaphne]

Every time I think about this, it just makes me want to throw up. There is nothing, nothing he can do "on the ground" to help the emergency workers and volunteers, except to distract them from doing their jobs. But I bet he'll do it. Karl Rove is calling the shots, apparently. And he was the one who got the picture of Bush looking out the window at the devastation, just to show how much he "cared."

[Ged2012]

Obama's sensitivity regarding presidential hopefuls traveling to the Gustav disaster zone:

"The thing that I always am concerned about in the middle of a storm is whether we're drawing resources away from folks on the ground because the Secret Service and various security requirements sometimes it pulls police, fire ,and other departments away from concentrating on the job. I'm assuming that where he went that wasn't an issue. We"re going to try to stay clear of the area until things have settled down and then we'll probably try to figure out how we can be as helpful as possible."

Now that's what we need in a President!

[MissDaphne]

I'm with you.

[SuiginTou7]

I wonder which one will be the bigger disaster. Gustav or the convention? The huricane's is trailing for now.

[starrianna]

ANYTHING to capitalize on the DRAMA of it all.

Queen McCain.

[tel8034]

WHAT A DIFFERENCE AN ELECTION YEAR MAKES................ SUDDENLY NEW ORLEANS IS IMPORTANT TO THIS REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION...................... SURPRISE !!!!!!

This is the SAME John McCain who was cutting his birthday cake, enjoying his party, and getting his photo op with Dubya while New Orleans was DROWNING.

This is the SAME John McCain who VOTED AGAINST EVERY RELIEF PROPOSAL for New Orleans.

Does he really think that he has DUPED Americans into believing that he really cares?

What's with this address by satellite? .................... New Orleans could be under water once again, and ALL McCain is thinking of is a possible PR Op?.................. Doesn't he realize that he may NOT even be able to pull off a satellite acceptance speech because the infrastructure may be down in New Orleans? ...................... SHOULDN'T THE NEEDS OF THE AFFECTED RESIDENTS TAKE PRIORITY OVER A SATELLITE FEED?

SHOULDN'T McCAIN STAY OUT OF THE WAY AND LET THE REAL EXPERTS DO THEIR JOB OF RESCUE AND REBUILDING? ........................... THIS ISN'T ABOUT McCAIN .................... AND HE SAYS OBAMA IS THE CELEBRITY? ...................... IT LOOKS LIKE McCAIN IS FIGHTING FOR THE SPOTLIGHT.

Now that the Democratic convention is over, and the Republicans knew all along that they COULDN'T match the excitement of last week, and coupled with the fact that they are short on convention funds, they are now using Gustov as the EXCUSE for their upcoming LOW KEY AFFAIR.

We ALWAYS knew that the Republicans could not top what we experienced at the Democratic convention .................... NO NEED

[globalcitizenlinda]

Does John really think voters are that stupid not to recognize a political exploitation of a disaster?

Some of us have not forgotten how McCain and Bush were eating birthday cake even as Katrina drowned out major cities

[chs1965]

Unfortunately he does think that we are that stupid.

[AllenD]

Given that Bush was (s)elected twice as President, they very well could be correct in thinking the American people are that stupid.

[Shozen]

Didn't Focus on the Family asked God to bring rain some politicians parade?

Like some evil doer out to destroy America.

Yet again Poor Louisiana suffers for Republican sins.

[lvmblvmb]

"Country First?" - when you exploit a potential disaster for your own political gain? Sure.

[ChicoBrisbane]

How insulting Sen McCains "Breaking News" confrerence was. Does he really expect anyone with a lick of sense to believe that his reason for postponing the convention has anything to do with the hurricane? - It is perfectly clear that Sen McCain is avoiding going up on stage to address his party because reality has finally sunken in. He! - Inspite of his 26 years in congress, his 5 1/2 years in a
Viet Nam prison, is beginning to realize that he is the one that is in over his head. Amazing! - Absolutely amazing!

[jennbeez]

This has Karl Rove's fingerprints all over it. He knows McCain was a shaky enough pick, but enough has come out about Palin by now to really sink the ticket. Rove figures that if they both drown, the GOP can have a warriors funeral for McCain and then go on and on about their historic nomination of a woman for VP (forget that Mondale did it first) during Palin's eulogy.

Then they can nominate someone else. Trouble is, McCain and Palin really *were* the best they could dredge up.

[ItsYourFault]

go ahead and exploit the upcoming storm for your own gain john.

better yet...explain to the Katrina victims why you were eating bday cake 3 years ago on the exact day your "fellow Americans" were drowning and losing their homes.

no bday cake this time huh? got an election to try and win.

Obama/Biden 08 people...do not be fooled!

[Mildmannered]

"McCain May Give Convention Speech From Disaster Zone"

From the White House?

[naschkatze]

Which reminds me. If Bush is not going to the convention, is it not to go to the area struck by Gustav instead? But if all the Republicans are so damned happy that he will not be at the convention, won't McCain be running into him at the disaster site anyway? Maybe Bush will just be staying home and letting McCain handle it in an (illegal and premature) transfer of power?

[530Rose]

Bush is going to Texas. Says he doesn't want to get in the way.

[tsquant]

What we need is a new commercial:

What were the twins Bush/McCain doing during the "Last Katrina".....sounds familiar.....

"Let them eat cake!!!!"


"We need real change for the centuries old traditions"

[chitown8]

RNC "He can just do the speech through his IPhone.......... What I sorry he has a the same phone Warner sold him in 1985."

[kc1963]

If he wants to go down and face the elements head on - that's his business, and his overblown ego. Please, members of the press, do not follow in his footsteps. It's just a campaign stunt, no reason to risk your own lives. Please do not follow in this idiot's footsteps. As to the governors and mayors down in the gulf states? He is not the president yet, no matter what he may think. You really do not need to take his phone calls.