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McCain orders convention curtailed for Gustav
By David Espo
Associated Press
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ST. PAUL, Minn. -- John McCain tore up the script for his Republican National Convention on Sunday, ordering the cancellation of all but essential opening-day activities as Hurricane Gustav churned toward New Orleans.

"This is a time when we have to do away with our party politics and we have to act as Americans," he said as fellow Republicans converged on their convention city to nominate him for the White House.

On the eve of his convention, McCain positioned himself as an above-politics, concerned potential president determined to avoid the errors made by President Bush three years ago. "I have every expectation that we will not see the mistakes of Katrina repeated," he said.

Bush and Vice President Cheney scrapped plans to address the convention on Monday, and McCain's aides chartered a jet to fly delegates back to their hurricane-threatened states along the Gulf Coast. Campaign manager Rick Davis said the first-night program was being cut from seven hours to two and one half.

The formal business of the convention includes nominating McCain for president and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate on Wednesday. McCain's acceptance speech, set for prime time on Thursday evening, is among the most critical events of the campaign for his chances of winning the White House.

The hasty reordering of an event months in the planning was unprecedented, affecting not only the program on the podium but the accompanying fundraising, partying and other political activity that unfolds around the edges of a national political convention.

McCain said he was looking forward to being the convention but did not say when he would arrive. He spoke via satellite from St. Louis after he and Palin received a briefing on hurricane preparations in Jackson, Miss.

In an interview with NBC, he said it was possible he would make his acceptance speech not from the convention podium but via satellite from the Gulf Coast region.

Campaign manager Davis told reporters inside the convention hall that the opening program on Monday would be "business only and will refrain from political rhetoric."

To help those in need, he said, "We are working with the delegations, financial people, finance committees, many other concerned individuals to do what we can to raise money for various charities that operate in the Gulf Coast region." / As for the convention schedule, he added that further adjustments would be made on a day-to-day basis.

McCain said of his briefing in Mississippi: "I'm happy to report to you that the coordination and the work that's being done at all levels appears to be excellent." He cited remaining challenges in communications and search and rescue operations, but emphasized that the response seemed to be going more smoothly than the one three years ago.

The Bush administration's handling of that storm contributed to a plunge in the president's approval ratings that helped the Democrats win control of Congress in 2006.

The uncertainty contrasted with a state of readiness inside the Xcel Center, a hockey arena transformed into a made-for-televison red-carpeted convention hall. Thousands of red, white and blue balloons nestled in netting high above the floor — to be released during final-night festivities if the Republicans decide to go ahead with them.

Outside, police took nine people into custody for crossing a security barrier in an anti-war march. The nine, including two women in their 70s, were charged with trespassing, according to Doug Holtz, a St. Paul police commander.

Emphasizing their concern about the hurricane, McCain and his newly named running mate traveled to Mississippi for a tour of the state's emergency management center.

"I pledge that tomorrow night, and if necessary throughout our convention, we will act as Americans, not as Republicans," McCain told reporters moments later.

The events temporarily overshadowed a more traditionally political pre-convention debate over McCain's decision to name Palin to his ticket. She was mayor of small-town Wasilla, Alaska, for six years before she became governor in December 2006.

Responding to a question after his hurricane-related remarks, McCain made a ringing defense of Palin, who Democrats argue has less experience than their presidential candidate, Barack Obama.

"I thin Sen. Obama, if they want to do down that route, in all candor, she has far, far more experience than Sen. Obama does," McCain said.

He cited Palin's stint as governor of a "state that produces 20 percent of America's energy" as well as her previous membership in the PTA and her time spent on the city council and in the mayor's office in Wasilla,a town of fewer than 7,000 people outside Anchorage.

By contrast, he said Obama "was a community organizer when she was in elected office. He was in the state Senate and voted 130 times present. He never took on his party on anything. She took on a party and the old bulls and the old boy network and she succeeded."

Palin has frequently clashed with fellow Republicans in her state, and won office after denying an incumbent GOP governor renomination to a new term in office.

But Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut said McCain's selection was merely designed to appease the hard-right conservatives in the Republican Party. "His knees buckled" when it came time to picking a running mate, Dodd said of McCain in an appearance on CNN.

Democrats, too, decided to tone down their convention-week efforts.

Party spokesman Brad Woodhouse said the Democrats had canceled a "More of the Same" rally that had been slated for Monday.

Obama said he was ready to encourage his supporters to assist any victims of the hurricane.

"I think we can activate an e-mail list of a couple of million people who want to give back," he said.

With millions of Gulf Coast residents fleeing the approaching storm, Chadwick Melder, a delegate from Baton Rouge, said he was taking advantage of an offer from the campaign to fly his family out of harm's way.

"I'm trying to get my family out of there and stay here for the week," said Melder, although he added, "I have responsibilities here as well."

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Reader comments on this story - 11 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Meh wrote on Sep 2, 2008 8:40 AM:

" Its the right place to appeal for aid. Anyone who has the cash to pay the entrance fee to a RNC convention has the money to help out down in NOLA. And remember, Republicans hate new money. "

MHill wrote on Sep 2, 2008 7:18 AM:

" Nowhere in the article does it mention the fact that some of those arrested at the convention were members of the Press!! What a far cry from the Democratic Convention last week! "

republicrat wrote on Sep 1, 2008 9:43 AM:

" To pseudo-intellectual:
Yes, it's almost as sickening as all of the politicians tripping over themselves to use this situation to their political gain (both parties). Where were they all three years ago when it wasn't an election year? Even sadder is most people won't even see through their pandering, and will think it's really from their hearts. "

pseudo-intellectual wrote on Aug 31, 2008 6:49 PM:

" To earthling and liberal sickos like Michael Moore... Think about your vile statements before uttering them. This hurricane is not going to do any damage to the Republican party, but people in the region are likely going to die and thousands of lives will be disrupted. Is this really the sort of thing that intelligent people should take delight in? "

Burgerman wrote on Aug 31, 2008 4:09 PM:

" I don't see the sense in GWB staying away from the convention. There is not much he can do in Lousinia. The republicans have already lost that state due to their mishandling of Katrina. Obahma is correct, all the media is just a distraction from getting things done. "

alexp wrote on Aug 31, 2008 3:40 PM:

" President Bush will probably be as absent during this hurricane as he was the last time... "

earthling wrote on Aug 31, 2008 12:52 PM:

" How could God do this to the party of piety..the hosts of holiness? "

Dick Daley wrote on Aug 31, 2008 11:45 AM:

" Karl Rove is already planning on how to turn the RNC convention into a telethon for NOLA. Have to fix the mistake of GWB including FEMA in the Department of Homeland Security. "Your doing a heck of a job Brownie," meanwhile a city drowns is on Bush resume forever. America will never forget what happened and always blame them for what happened after Katrina. Good luck spinning this time Turd Blossom. "

votes often wrote on Aug 31, 2008 9:56 AM:

" Great! She knows Russia is to the west of Alaska. And I thought they stopped teaching geography a long time ago. "

republicrat wrote on Aug 31, 2008 9:54 AM:

" Luckily for whoever ends up as victims of this storm, we're sure to see a much better response to a catastrophe during an election year. "

dwarf wrote on Aug 31, 2008 9:48 AM:

" Righto, Cindy. The Russkies are attacking Alaska right this minute! "
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