GOP Governors Politicize Hurricane Gustav (VIDEO)

The PR push by the GOP to present itself as the party that puts "country first" was already broken by the first night of Republican National Convention.

Fearful of "Katrina deja-vu," GOP officials worked furiously to prove to voters that they could manage a disaster in a way the Bush administration failed to do three years ago.

The convention opened Monday night with a video presentation of Gulf Coast governors introduced by Cindy McCain and Laura Bush. "This is a time when we take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats," McCain said, repeating a line her husband used the day before. But both the governors of Texas and Alabama managed to do just the opposite, prominently showing of their "Republican hats" during their speeches.

Watch the videos below:

Texas Governor Rick Perry: "You're seeing Republican governors and... uh... I think in Republican states, taking care of the citizens. That's what... That's what we do."

Alabama Governor Bob Riley: "I want to personally thank President Bush for his leadership."

Comments

[Mygirl]

As reported here over the weekend, James Dobson's Focus on the Family employs Stuart Shepard to make short, "clever" religious-right videos for the evangelical powerhouse. Shepard creates these videos regularly, and most of them are entirely forgettable.

Last week, however, Focus unveiled a new video, asking politically-conservative Christians to pray for rain on Aug. 28, in order to disrupt Barack Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention.

Shepard called for "abundant rain, torrential rain ... flood-advisory rain." He adds, "I'm talking about umbrella-ain't-gonna-help-you rain ... swamp-the-intersections rain." Explaining why he wants everyone to pray for rain, Shepard explains, without a hint of humor, "I'm still pro-life, and I'm still in favor or marriage being between one man and one woman. And I would like the next president who will select justices for the next Supreme Court to agree."

[curocat]

Well, they got rain and flooding . I wonder how he is going to explain to God about those that died..

[LinusBern]

Here is a quote from John McCain I found in Canada's Globe and Mail:

"This is just one of those moments in history where you have to put America first," he said yesterday on NBC's Today Show in a pre-taped interview that was one of his few media appearances.

It sounds an awful lot like he is saying he only puts America first on very special, historical occasions. I'm just preparing for all the overwrought outrage to start emanating from O'Reilly, Limbaugh, Hannity and Kristol.

Waiting.... waiting................still waiting...........I know its coming.............Come on Rush, I know you're not really a hypocritical partisan hack................

[Avembe]

BLABLABLABLABLABLABLABLa
Hot stuff you're damn right
This is just disgusting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
just makes you want to vomit

[LITU]

Well, what else are they gonna talk about? Their successful unfettered, free market trade policy? The fact that they can't generate jobs outside of the military or government service, because they deregulate to such an extent that it promotes outsourcing? Are they gonna tell us how promulgating a war in an energy-sensitive zone of the world has nothing to do with the cost of oil? Which affects the cost of everything else?

B U T, the GOP is successful only because the democrats are complicit just enough where it matters most.

[WFV]

More pandering.

This storm was NOTHING compared to Katrina, yet they have the nerve to stand around and pat themselves on the back for a job well done.

I would certainly hope they learned a thing or two from Katrina and that a storm of this magnitude would be handled better than previous storms. To turn this into a 'we are so great' political moment is simply disgusting. Mother Nature saved NO, not the GOP.

[chiefeditor]

You stay classy, guys! Here are MP3s of Riley (http://www.entertonement.com/collections/2804/Bob-Riley-On-Hurricane-Gustav) and Perry (http://www.entertonement.com/collections/2801/Rick-Perry-On-Hurricane-Gustav).

[hotstuff]

You know what, not all those ambulance drivers, local citizens, volunteers, pilots, police officers and etc. were not republicans! Yet, the republicans only praised the republicans! they should be ashamed of themselfs for politcizeing this disaster and useing Republicans and Demacrates in this way! Shame on all of you!

[TidalShadow]

This is what we have come to expect from the Republicans, but we must not assume that they will lose this election due to their obvious hubris. The Republican Attack Machine is still the most powerful force in American politics.

[hotstuff]

This hurrican was a force 3 catigory, not force 5 like katrina. Plus down in the parish in Orleans the water broke through! If this was Karina at force 5, Orleans parish would have been gone again. Has nothing to do with Republican governors or anything alse!

[thecanadian]

McCains have both now said
"This is a time when we take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats," Guess Repugs aren't Americans when they have their REPGug hats on. Another McBush telling statement!

[betadecay]

i am embarrassed for having been born in texas. too bad the state never has to worry about falling into the pacific.

"Republicans ¦ love America, they just hate half the people living in it" --Jon Stewart

...pretty much sums it up. I'm sure we'll switch sides in a couple of years though.

[Mattjoe]

Leave it to Republicans to now hold a congratulatory circle jerk for doing their sworn duty the second time round.

Fitting retribution that a Gulf Coast hurricane tosses a wrench firmly into this regimes' smug and unwarranted catwalk in Minnesota.

[bronceye]

When bush was asked the difference in this reaction compared to Katrina, he said"It's the Governors" who are all Repubicans. It may also be that this was a cat3 while Katrina was a cat5. Oh well, they have another coast to evacuate this week. Let's see how they do.

[WeMustChange]

The RNC has a sign up at their convention that says "Country First" Well what happened to "Country First" during the last eight years? What happened to "Country First" during KATRINA, before the lies that started the Iraq War, 45 million that doesn't have healthcare, before millions of jobs were shipped overseas, before rewarding companies to ship them overseas, before billions going to Halliburtion without any other bids, before vetoing the children's healthcare bill, before allowing CEO's to walk away with millions while laying off their employees, and the list goes on. Please answer these questions for me.

The Bush/McCain Republicans must think the American people are ignorant. Who in the world would vote for a Republican after witnessing the past 8 years?

Please join me at www.wemustchange.org

I need volunteers to join me at "WeMustChange.org" I need writers with a different perspective, website designers, creative, business savvy people to join this crusade for change.


Email me at [e-mail]

[wdw101]

David J.Hudson:

I would not allow my web designers to be associated with a liberal site like yours......don't you think your liberalism will hurt your real estate credibility and business ........

[lbcny]

Note to Mr. 50centsaday:

I think you should refer to our nominee by his proper title
which is Senator Obama.

How were you raised? Where was your mother?
That is awfully disrespectful. :(

[8yearsoffear]

Experience without Judgement = incompetence!

Obama '08

[Oldtt]

Judgement without experience = potential.

[repuglycon]

Could it be all the Republican praying for rain on Obama's stadium speech resulted in all the hurricanes?

[goflo]

o_O

If you believe in that type of stuff. Republicans just bit themselves in the butt.