GOP Considers Delaying Convention

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Washington Post

Republican officials said yesterday that they are considering delaying the start of the GOP convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul because of Tropical Storm Gustav, which is on track to hit the Gulf Coast, and possibly New Orleans, as a full-force hurricane early next week.

The threat is serious enough that White House officials are also debating whether President Bush should cancel his scheduled convention appearance on Monday, the first day of the convention, according to administration officials and others familiar with the discussion.

For Bush and Republican presidential candidate John McCain, Gustav threatens to provide an untimely reminder of Hurricane Katrina. A new major storm along the Gulf Coast would renew memories of one of the low points of the Bush administration, while pulling public attention away from McCain's formal coronation as the GOP presidential nominee.

Senior Republicans said images of political celebration in the Twin Cities while thousands of Americans flee a hurricane could be dubious. "Senator McCain has always been sensitive to national crisis," said McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds, noting that the senator postponed announcing his presidential candidacy in 2000 because of the war in the Balkans. "We are monitoring the situation very closely."



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

---

Afraid of this:

[MichiganVote]

1. Chickens

[Patsy Stone]

2. They meant to say

Hurricane Obama.

[Phredicles]

3. Maybe 'til 2016?

[johnnyrocket]

4. Amazing, heard KO say that, and was stunned...

After Obama tonight, the GOP really should just pack it in.

[Blaq Dem]

55. Who was it that prayed for rain in Denver?

Remember the conservative radio host who ask his listeners to pray for rain when Obama gives his speech? I'm sure the people in the Gulf area won't be watching the GOP convention. How ironic.

[Berry Cool]

5. In other news, President Bush has also announced that he may give up golf next week.

"I just don't think it would look right for me to be golfing while thousands of Americans were fleeing a hurricane. I think it would send the wrong message."

[roguevalley]

27. how can they reschedule thousands of things, flights, rooms, catering

etc> They could take a huge bath. If they don't have event insurance they will eat penalties out the wazoo. Ah... Be careful what you pray for, rednecks, you might just get it.

[norepubsin08]

35. If they have to reschedule

There is a certain stall in the Minneapolis Airport that would be just perfect for a Republican Convention!

[ikojo]

46. Reserved for Larry Craig

[truedelphi]

57. Singing softly "You have my laugh of the week award!"

That made my day!

[HughBeaumont]

44. Rules notwithstanding . . .

. . . you're forgetting the seemingly bottomless corporate pockets the Repukes have (unless the endless money well only extends to people named Bush). They'll manage, I think.

[intheflow]

61. While it would be a huge political headache for the repukes

to reschedule, it would be disastrous for the legion of protesters, many of whom would not be able to afford to change their flights/hotels/vacation schedules to make it to a new date in St. Paul. I seriously believe that's a factor that they're taking into consideration, as much or more-so than Gustav.

[Supply Side Jesus]

39. "Now watch this drive."

.

[Triana]

6. "Senator McCain has always been sensitive to national crisis,"

On WHAT planet?!

[RamboLiberal]

9. His record from Huffington Post May this year

Up until traveling there one month ago, the Arizona Republican had made just one public tour of New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina touched down in August 2005, according to the Washington Post's travel records.

When the hurricane first struck, he was celebrating his birthday with President Bush in Arizona. In the days that followed, he urged Congress to make sacrifices to help the recovery effort. But he also expressed concern about going overboard and burdening "future generations of Americans" with "the highest deficit, probably, in the history of this country."

McCain's first post-hurricane visit to the region was in March 2006. His trip, according to those in attendance, was a full-day affair touring all aspects of the storm's destruction. It came, it should be noted, after pining by local officials for more federal attention including, Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu insisting that any politician serious about a presidential run would have to, at the very least, get a first hand account of the hurricane's destruction.

In the year that followed McCain did not return to New Orleans. He did, as noted by a Mother Jones feature on the topic, vote against establishing a congressional commission to examine the federal, state, and local responses to Katrina. Later, he voted against allowing up to 52 weeks of unemployment benefits to people affected by the hurricane. In July 2007, he ventured back to the Gulf Coast, but, while he held an open news conference, the purpose of the trip was officially a private fundraiser.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/30/how-mccains-ka...

[Triana]

53. If he was owrried about burdening future generations with "the highest deficit"....

..why the HELL did he vote for the IWR and why the HELL does he want to stay over there another 100 years?

This man has Alzheimer's he can't remember what he said 10 fucking minutes ago. Like Kerry said - he just needs to have a damned debate with HIMSELF.

WHAT does a man with 7+ homes know or care about poor people or middle-class people in New Orleans or anywhere else losing THEIRS?

Like Obama said - he DOESN'T GET IT.

[ladywnch]

20. you beat me to it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ginnyinWI]

33. It's about losing the media's attention to the hurricane.

Ha--CNN will have to do a split screen: hurricane on one side, old shuffling GOP candidate on the other!

[FVZA_Colonel]

7. I was going to mention the cake cutting.

But you beat me to it.

[billyoc]

10. Well, in his defense, McCain only had one piece of cake.

[rpannier]

15. That's not surprisng

DUH-bya probably grabbed five or six pieces of it for himself and then did a canon-ball into what was left before anyone could get any.

[Stand and Fight]

8. "Senator McCain has always been sensitive to national crisis..."

[truthisfreedom]

11. It's NOT the hurricane that they're afraid of. They need to REWRITE and RETOOL their entire platform

because THEY DIDN'T DO THEIR HOMEWORK and THEY TRUSTED ROVE.

[elzenmahn]

22. I second that...

...and it's not the first time that the RepubliCANTS have been caught with their pants down!

Like Obama said, they don't know what they're up against...

Karl "Bush League Brain" Rove should have known that there are certain things in political life you just don't do.

You don't tug on Superman's Cape.
You don't spit in the wind.
And you don't try to follow OBAMA and a STADIUM FULL OF MOTIVATED DEMOCRATIC ACTIVISTS with GRAMPAW McCAIN the very next week!

If the RepubliCANTS do reschedule, that effectively gives the Dems at least a one to two week head start on the "official" campaign.

If the 'CANTS don't, whatever they do will look PALE and SILLY - just like GRAMPAW himself!!!!!

This is just too delicious...

[Journeyman]

12. Of course, such an unprecedented delay wouldn't remind anyone of Katrina . . .

[Journeyman]

14. And all the delegates will be able to reschedule for the next week, no problem. . .

[rpannier]

16. Not to mention the whole city of Minneapolis

[jimlup]

19. The city isn't all that happy about Repuklian gathering thing!

Minneapolis is a not repuklian friendly. They may chase these folks out with or without a hurricane.

[rpannier]

25. The city has had to do a hell of a lot of work to prepare for the convention

They had to arrange the schedules of emergency workers. They had to clear areas of the city to prepare for the event.

What if the Vikings are scheduled to play the day before the event?
You'd have football fans flying in and out of the city at the same time conventioneers are coming in.

In addition, has some other group already scheduled it?

Hotels and other businesses have spent a lot of money and time preparing as well (Won't someone please think of the prostitutes that have flown into town for this special event)

[caseymoz]

42. How annoying for Repubs

They have to change their schedules and pretend to be busy while the nation pays attention to some New Orleanian peasants drowning again.

So, one of Bush's anti-government appointees at FEMA has to make a government agency effective for a week against all Republican instincts and ideology, or face the fact that McCain will be DOA by November.

It's horrible for New Orleans, though I'm guessing they won't be staying in the city. But for Repubs, karma might be knocking on their door with the sword of justice in its other hand.

[tinrobot]

13. In other words, get Bush as far away from McCain as possible.

[satya]

24. Bingo! nt

[orleans]

17. rove overheard in the bathroom, mumbling to himself again

"damnit! we can't top that"

[Ian David]

18. See also:

See Also:

http://www.TinyUrl.com/GodReallyHatesRepublicans
http://www.TinyUrl.com/GodHatesRepublicans
http://www.TinyUrl.com/GodHatesDobson

And:

Barack Obama isn't the only one who can fill a stadium. Republicans can fill a stadium, too!
Topic started by IanDB1 on Jul-07-08 04:32 PM (170 replies)
Last modified by IanDB1 on Jul-10-08 07:51 PM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...
http://tinyurl.com/mccainandkatrina

[skooooo]

21. Their "party" is falling apart......

STICK A FORK IN IT!

[slay]

23. They need time to absorb the AWESOMENESS of the DNC and ponder their fate

And their fate is - they. are. screwed.

[FatDave]

26. Show the world how you cower, boys.

[norepubsin08]

28. Dear God:

Please have Gustav make landfall JUST at the Excel Center say, (maybe Wed evening!)

[man4allcats]

29. Gustav my ass!

A storm just hit them alright, but it's not that damn hurricane they're worried about. What's blowing them away is that speech Obama gave tonight. That Category 5 is gonna blow McCain so far off course he'll never find his way back, and they damn well know it!

[BanTheGOP]

30. And everyone is pissed at ME for the same thing!

Talk about the ultimate in political opportunism! I opined in another thread how the hurricane can provide the democratic party with enough of an impetus to win the election in November based on displaying the republican party's blatant elitism while the poor people of NOLA and the hurricane ravaged cities fight like the devil to stay alive and solvent (especially if Barrack is down there packing sandbags while the windbags in Minneapolis gas away). I HATE being right, but when the shoe fits... I'll take my beatings as LONG as the GOP is ultimately destroyed, any way possible (preferably through the MONITORED and LEGAL ballot box).

[nikto]

31. GOD does not like Republicans

This is an inescapable sign from God that Republicans suck, suck and suck.






End of story.

[santamargarita]

45. Never Did!

K&R

[NBachers]

32. During the hiatus, maybe McLame can visit

that oil platform in the Gulf.

[IntravenousDemilo]

34. They don't want to delay it too long. John McCain isn't getting any younger. n/m

[trudyco]

56. LOL! -nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

36. August 29th is McCain's Birthday. nt

[mtf80123]

37. Awwwwww.......

poor widdle wepublicans... looks like their little KKK rally is gonna get rained on. So sad.

Karma sucks

[gi4obama]

38. That picture is worth a thousand "fuck yous" to all of the folks that live (ed)

in New Orleans, Gulfport, and everywhere in between.

[Loudmxr]

40. Maybe God "mis heard" the prayers for rain from the Repugs

You don't tug on Superman's cape 
You don't mess with old Olaf
You don't pray for rain on Barak Obama
Or you'll get stomped by storm Gustav

[caseymoz]

41. It seems that Mother Nature is voting this year. . . (nt)

[jmowreader]

43. "Delaying" means "cancelling"

At least in part.

I see their real problem: the scheduled speakers are people who either CAN'T come, like Bobby Jindal and Arnold Schwarzenegger, or who they really don't want to come, like Bush and Cheney. They also want to avoid RamboLiberal's scenario: juxtaposition of scenes of their candidate having a good time at his convention with our candidate standing ankle-deep in water filling sandbags.

The Constitution says nothing about how presidential candidates must be selected, so what I figure is going to happen is they'll use the tickets they have now to fly into MSP, they'll "monitor conditions in the Gulf Coast" until September 3, then on September 4 they'll have a one-day quickie convention: get someone to give a keynote, nominate McSame by acclamation, let him spend 30 minutes or so telling America Barack Obama is an America-hating liberal who spent the entire time Mr. McCain was a prisoner of war dreaming of long days of raising taxes and long nights of aborting babies by the light of flaming Bibles while he schemed to turn America into a Muslim Theocracy.

In which case here's the convention schedule:

0800: Conventiongoers start off their day with Bloody Marys.

1100: Mayor of St. Paul gives keynote speech: "Thanks, guys. You paid for four days' use of our convention center but only used it for one, and let me tell you what we're going to use the windfall for: replacing the money you took away from us through your tax cuts that was going to repair the collapsed bridge."

1101: After the Mayor of St. Paul is dragged away screaming, attendees break for lunch.

1500: Refreshed from a nice short lunch break, attendees nominate McSame by acclamation, since he's all they got.

1510: McSame takes podium to announce he'll choose his vice-president on November 15, as such a monumental decision should not be considered lightly.

1520: Attendees take coffee break.

1630: McSame gives acceptance speech. The words "POW," "taxes," "Muslim terrorist" and "traitor" are heard frequently.

1700: Attendees break for dinner.

2100: Open-bar party.

[liberal N proud]

47. Too much of a reminder of their failure with Katrina?

Katrina has come back to bite them in the ass! Or at least sent her big brother.

[Love Bug]

48. Much easier said than done

Every hotel has been booked for next week for months. The Twins are on a 15-day road trip because of the convention. If they decided to postpone for a different week, that would have to be a year from now because that would be the earliest they could find accomodations for everyone. Like it or not, they are stuck with next week (oh well).

When Gustav hits, the government is going to respond with amazing speed because there is no way they are going to squander the possible photo ops to make Bush/McCain look good. They will also point to that responce in an effort to show how things have 'improved' since Katrina. No matter what happens, the Repubs will spin it to make themselves look good.

[yardwork]

60. They can't respond with "amazing speed" to the hurricanes because they're incompetent

Even if chimpy's government tried, they couldn't respond effectively. FEMA is destroyed, the National Guards are in Iraq, the infrastructure is crumbling. We're sitting ducks for the hurricanes and there's nothing that chimpy or his people can do about it. They can't reverse seven years of dedicated incompetence in a weekend.

[Vinca]

49. Mmmm . . . hurricanes . . . makes me crave cake.

The Gulf Coast wouldn't be in quite such a panic if Bush had thrown all resources at it and gotten it rebuilt to a significant level. But no . . . better to spend out money on Baghdad ferris wheels.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

50. I'd delay too if I didn't have a viable candidate to offer the base.

That hurricane thang is just their excuse, NOT their reason...

[Elidor]

51. It would be a godsend if they did

First, it would reinforce the notion of their incompetence. Second, Obama and Biden will be out there making hay and reminding everyone that the GOP only cares about hurricanes when they occur during their convention. They would allow Obama to maintain momentum and to choose the narrative.

They would come off looking feckless and weak and flabby. It's a misstep they would have a hard time recovering from.

[Patiod]

54. OOo! I like "Rs care only about hurricanes when they occur

during their conventions." Very nice! Catchy, and has the added benefit of being true!

[Odin2005]

52. They are more concerned about the Obamacane then they are about the Hurricane.

Unless they are worried that Gustav will take a left turn into Dumbass's "ranch"...

[PATRICK]

58. Bush and Gustav

Arnold and the recalcitrant CA State legislature, McCain haters and Bush duckers, the Palin empty shell shock. The Obama speech and Convention bounce. Time to cut and run?

The weirdness reminds me of Chairman Mao falling back on the youthful Red Guards. Who else is left who REALLY supports McCain except empty headed fanatics?

[RamboLiberal]

59. Sludge is reporting they are stuck having convention

Republican National Committee President and CEO, Maria Cino, said this morning on C-SPAN: 'We have been planning this convention for 18 months, and the gavel will go down on Monday'...

http://www.drudgereport.com/

[fascisthunter]

62. "Resistance is futile..."

"The Lourd Gourd hath spoken..."

[bdamomma]

63. what total BS

"Senator McCain has always been sensitive to national crisis,"

yea sure he is

[MasonJar]

64. Always sensitive to natural disasters??????????? Both were really

on top of Katrina, oh yeah!!!!!!

[Reaganomicon]

65. Woohoo!

Delay it forever I say I'm really hoping the media focuses more on the hurricane than the convention and McCain & the repugs message will be swept aside, so to speak.