Bush and McCain unlikely to appear at GOP convention, McCain may deliver acceptance speech from Gulf

[Seen the light]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/13013.html

ST. PAUL – 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.

McCain made plans to travel to a threatened area of the Gulf coast on Sunday, accompanied by his wife, Cindy, and running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R). They planned to meet Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R) in Jackson, Miss., aides said.

McCain was scheduled to deliver his acceptance speech Thursday but now may do so from the devastation zone if the storm hits the U.S. coast with the ferocity feared by forecasters.

More at link.

[tekisui]

1. Mcpow ready to stand on rubble, just like chimpy.

That's a great idea. Pander and politicize disaster. It's the gopper way.

[RadicalTexan]

2. Too little, too late.

Remember Katrina. Remember NOLA.

[Drunken Irishman]

3. Ugh and this will be a huge PR move for McCain, everyone will love it.

[ingac70]

8. Decent people will find it twisted. n/t

[tekisui]

11. Standing on rubble??? We've seen that phony act before.

I don't think it will do him any good to accept his party's nomination in a disaster zone. It will look desperate and pathetic.

[FVZA_Colonel]

53. The American populace is god-damn brain dead.

With the media's help, all they'll see is a commanding, presidential man.

[FVZA_Colonel]

54. Self-Delete.

Double Post.

[Cha]

34. Everyone who's a rabid brainwashed shunk

and loves loves loves the last 8 years.

[Clear Blue Sky]

47. I agree. It would be show, but so much of politics is just that.

[Franks Wild Years]

4. Sick fucks.

Evil despots, McCain, Palin, all of them. Bush is marginally preferable.

[AlCzervik]

5. i don't think that's going to go over to well but then again i'm not objective.

[FrenchieCat]

6. Will he be using a bullhorn?

[tinrobot]

49. He'll promise to follow Gustav to the gates of hell.

[ingac70]

7. McCain should announce...

on the beach in Miss. as Gustav makes landfall.

Announcing from the devastation? Absolutely morbid!

[wndycty]

9. If the damage is bad first responders don't need the headache. . .

. . .seriously think about it, they have much bigger fish to fry and its diverts precious resources.

[RagAss]

10. This would be the most egotistical, fucked up thing in history !!!

I must be in a coma dreaming this shit !!!!!!!!!

[rurallib]

12. That is WAAAAY over the top.

1) he (JSM) is not the president, so can do little but make empty promises tie up resources and get in the way.
2) Using a disaster as a political is about as low as you can go. And that is what Bush did in NOLA.

[angee_is_mad]

13. Use Gustav as an excuse

for bad turn out. There were so many senators, congressmen and women, governors who said they were unable to go it was ridiculous.

Hell, good old libby (dole) said she wasn't able to attend. I'm in NC and Hagen is killing her with TV ads.

[MichiganVote]

14. Good. Stand on one of the levees McSame and put Palin on it too.

[Danger Mouse]

15. That's about as low and loathsome as you can go.

Is he trying to make Bush look GOOD by comparison?
It may play well with the braindead, but is he honestly TRYING to piss people off and mobilize Dems to vote against him? Seems like it sometimes.

[Mojambo]

16. "America deserves a President who gets it right on the first try"

Throw up a photo of McCain eating cake.

There's the response.

[jenmito]

17. "My friends, I could not in good conscience attend a party during this time of crisis, so putting

country first, I proudly accept the nomination of my party for president of the United States. Now I will try to help my fellow citizens and hope you understand that some things are worth losing an election over."

[FVZA_Colonel]

29. And morons will swallow it right up.

[jenmito]

38. That's why I wouldn't get happy so soon.

[FVZA_Colonel]

46. Oh, I'm not happy.

What we need to do (if they try to turn this into a Gustav Telethon), is have the Dems ask as loudly and publically as possible if they can assist in any way. And if the Repugs reject their request...

[Cha]

35. But, he could in good conscience pick a vp mate who

makes a mockery of the office of the Vice Presidency of the United STates and once again puts his political ambitions above his country.

[jenmito]

41. That's where WE come in. We have to get ads out there that point out that

fact-he chose someone for purely political reasons. Someone who has no qualifications to step into the presidency. That is NOT putting country first and we should run ads saying so during their convention.

[democrattotheend]

18. How convenient

I knew McCain would use Gustav to get out of having to appear with Bush at the convention.

[Heather MC]

19. Could it be that they didn't move as many tickets as hoped?

and are using Gustav as the great excuse why no one will show?

[Starbucks Anarchist]

20. Talk about phoning it in.

Obama gets 85,000+ in a stadium, McCain appears via satellite.

[JohnnyLib2]

21. That would be similar to the decision he announced Friday.

Crass.

VOTE 'EM DOWN!

[BlueIdaho]

25. Please god

let them be swept out to sea.

[gblady]

22. amazing how low....

this man and party will go.
Disgusting

[jenmito]

23. Talk about being presumptuous! What's he gonna do-send the National Guard? Release federal funds?

:eyes:

[RagAss]

24. The Twin cities are gonna take a bath on this $$$$$$$$

[JeffR]

26. He can borrow his friend George's umbrella:

[progressiveforever]

27. How convenient.

This is a great way to avoid having Bush speak and have McCain distance himself from Dumbya.

If McCain politicizes misfortune, the karma gods won't stand for it. He's gonna get his.

[spanone]

28. just like junior, using a tragedy to advance his politics

he's more like bu$h* everyday

[mzmolly]

30. They claim they may reschedule the convention and use St Paul to do a fundraiser.

This due to the hurricane. :eyes: In other words, they'll have two conventions and attempt to give a sh*t about those in peril (this time.)

[GrizzlyMan]

50. Supposedly the Red Cross is gonna show up and help them make care packages

If that happens, I'll never give another fucking nickel to the Red Cross.

[Bad Thoughts]

31. And how is this NOT presumptuous?

Does Chimpy plan to let McSame play president?

[trudyco]

32. Probably pre-recorded so they can edit the gaffes and stumbles

[gemlake]

33. Remember Bush in Florida right before the 2004 election?

Hugging people and handing out water? It'll be the same thing. The McCain campaign will bring some flags and "POW for McCain" signs to plant amid the rubble. Nothing is beneath them. Check out this blog from September, 2004:

"As much as I hate putting Bush's photo on my site, I think it is an important thing to do at this point, in the context of my last entry about the impact Ivan could have on the American election. Watch for more of this sort of thing in the near future, and realize that this is propaganda at it's very Dr. Joseph Goebbels' best. Note the gruff looking fellow and his shattered home. Note George W. with his arm slung around him like they were old college roommates. And most importantly, note the somewhat faded American flag. Ask yourself, why the fuck is there an American flag in this photo of an apparent moment of spontaneous compassion? Why? 'Cause Karl Rove made damn sure that someone is around to set-dress every photograph that comes out of Florida over the next few days."

[4themind]

36. What's he going to say?

He can't use the setting to politically attack Obama, even Shrubya didn't do that at ground zero (not at the place on that day anyway)
And when was the last time an acceptance speech hasn't been political?

He can't act like the president because Shrubya is, and if tries to sing bush's praises about the (hopefully improved) response to the issue, that's time not spent defining his plan for america (and I don't think in the long term bush's popularity will shoot up either). That means he's going to have to discuss actual policy issues, and how will he even begin to address that without also throwing his support behind increased government spending and bueracracy management. He can play tribute to the national guards role, but he'd need a creative new idea about how to use them. The best this will do is blunt damage that would be done to the republicans for being seen as partying, but it also means that they'll be losing the opportunity to do what conventions are supposed to do, not only pump up their candidate, but decimate their opponent, and McCain;s only going to be able to do one of the two here I think, but we'll see.

[GoesTo11]

37. All as predicted. What a hero.

Wherever he is for those 5 days he will get in the way. At least Giuliani didn't plan to walk through the rubble with a bullhorn and try to become a hero, however much he exploited it afterward, and he was the mayor at the time so it made sense to be there.

[Historic NY]

39. Maybe he will get blown away, trying to stage this photo opt.

[Neshanic]

40. If the media will not go to you, go to where the media is. What a piece of work he is.

[City of Mills]

42. Will McCain be playing guitar?

[Historic NY]

57. Banjo's......... paddle faster.

[WCGreen]

43. They are going to corruption center, ground zero of take the money and run...

Beside, Mississippi is more than likely not going to be hit. So what is the difference between talking about the problem in Minnesota or talking about the problem in Mississippi...

[ingac70]

44. This storm is wider than Katrina...

If NOLA is hit, the same areas of Miss. will likely get fucked up again this time as well.

[LongDistanceRunner]

45. ok, who would win between McCain and a Hurricane... named McCain?!?

[tinrobot]

48. So he's using the devastation of New Orleans as a political prop?

Shameful.

[FVZA_Colonel]

52. But the media will try to make it look genuine.

They're still so in love with him they'll try and make him look good.

[redqueen]

51. Will they share a cake? Sing a song?

Oh that's right... it's a general election year this time...

[WinkyDink]

55. But to heck with the delegates AT the convention??

[alcibiades_mystery]

56. What a humiliation for Bush

Unwanted at the Republican convention as an outgoing sitting President.

Amazing.