ST. PAUL, Minn., Aug. 31, 2008
GOP Scales Down Convention Plans
As Hurricane Gustav Approaches Gulf Coast, Only Necessary Business Will Be Done On The Floor
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Play CBS Video Video Gustav: Another Katrina? Russ Mitchell speaks with "The Early Show" weatherman Dave Price about the impending Category 4 storm Gustav, which will soon strike portions of the South, including New Orleans.
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Video St. Paul Set For RNC Spotlight Consistently overshadowed by its sister city, St. Paul has often been overlooked by the public radar until now, as the Republic National Convention will take place here. Nancy Cordes reports.
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Sen. John McCain, the Republicans' nominee-in-waiting, tore up his campaign schedule, and the Republican National Committee followed suit, as their convention was thrown into flux by Hurricane Gustav. (AP)
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President Bush speaks about preparations for Hurricane Gustav on Aug. 31, 2008. (CBS)
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Photo Essay Gathering Gustav Storm triggers flooding and landslides in Haiti, major threat to Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.
"I pledge that tomorrow night, and if necessary throughout our convention, we will act as Americans, not as Republicans," McCain told reporters moments later.
Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor who is scheduled to be the convention's keynote speaker, said Sunday, "We have to make sure the focus is on the South, on Gustav, make sure that all of the resources are there, and that anything that is done with regard to the convention doesn't take anything away from that and is done in a serious way."
"Senator McCain has already indicated that it would be inappropriate to have celebrations, that things have to be scaled back," Giuliani told CBS News' Face The Nation.
McCain said in an interview taped on Saturday and aired on Fox News Sunday that he had conferred by phone with Barbour as well as Govs. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Bob Riley of Alabama and Charlie Crist of Florida. Crist wasn't coming to St. Paul, where he had had a prominent speaking role, and the others seemed unlikely as well.
"I've been talking to all of them," McCain said. He said the approaching storm had already put a cloud over the convention.
"It just wouldn't be appropriate to have a festive occasion while a near-tragedy or a terrible challenge is presented in the form of a natural disaster," McCain said. Still, he said, "I think that we are far, far better prepared than we were the last time."
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 DecemDber 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.
McCain conferred by phone with Govs. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Bob Riley of Alabama and Charlie Crist of Florida during the day.
Crist, with a prominent speaking role at the convention, said he was staying in his home state to tend to hurricane business, and the others were staying home as well.
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.
Roger Villere Jr., Louisiana Republican Party chairman, said the chartered jet would fly delegates back to their home states and also fly back to Minnesota with family members who want to evacuate the Gulf Coast area.
"We got a large plane because we needed it. We'll take any delegate that would like to go back," Villere said.
"The McCain campaign has assured me this is the first priority," he said referring to the hurricane.
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."
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
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See all 300 CommentsWasilla, Alaska, City Council - 1992-1996 (4 years)
Wasilla, Alaska, Mayor - 1996-2002
Ran for Lt. Gov. 2002 - lost
Gov of Alaska - 2006-current, 20 months (state pop: 1/5 that of Chicago)
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OBAMA: Occidental College - 2 years
Columbia U - BA degree in Political Science with a specialization in International Relations
Worked at Business International Corporation
Chicago Community Organizer - 3 years
Harvard Law School - Juris Doctor, President of Harvard Law Review (first year), Graduated Magna _Cum Laude
Lawyer - Sidley & Austin Law Firm, Chicago
U of Chicago Law School - Constitutional law teacher 12 years: Lecturer for four years (1992-1996), Senior Lecturer for eight years (1996-2004).
Wrote 2 best-selling books
Civil Rights Attorney - 1993-1996- Associate, of counsel- 1996-2004
Illinois State Senate: 1998-2004 - 3 terms
US Senate - 2004-Current; Committees: Foreign Relations, Vet Affairs, Envir and Public Works, European Affairs
Presidential Campaign - 19 months
and over 800 pieces of legislation that he''s written, sponsored, co-sponsored and voted on.
LOOK WHO IS PLAYING THE MUSLIM / RACE CARD,,, RACIST HUSSEIN,,,
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=OBAMA+DID I MENTION HE IS BLACK
Obama: "Whites are all racist"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77Wzx1_r6ps
Obama quotes: What he really thinks...
OF TYPICAL WHITE PERSONS,,,
HUSSEIN KNOWS RACE BATING,,,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9tSpFUEooI
Michelle Obama Quotes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj4oApJK2as
The Real Michelle Obama: Mistress Of Gloom & Doom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdG8cxuAeFY&feature=related
Mark Levin puts Michelle Obama in her place
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxllLkYwrAI&feature=related
Stupid Quotes/Gaffes from Barack Obama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BHyqtaECLI
ummmmm nancy,,,
it was a DEMONIC-RAT bill,,,
and it was the GOP that blocked it,,,
GOT IT,,,
Wasn''t it McCain that was nicknamed "Amnesty John" a bit back?
But what will ALL the BIG CORPORATIONS DO if they can''t IMPORT people that will WORK FOR NEXT TO NOTHING and wipe out or drive down the WAGES of their "uppity" long time American workers?
Can we say MORE H1B VISAS?
Then again Haliburton moved the TRILLIONS THEY have STOLEN and Cheney''s Pension to the Middle East so YOUR life WILL be crud when they SKIP OUT ON YOU oh "faithful Servant" to the "DECIDER".
ummmm it is the DEMONIC-RATS that want to grant amnesty to illegals,,, including HUSSEIN,,,
HUSSEINs solution for illegals is to grant them amnesty and have americans learn SPANISH,,,
words out of his own mouth,,,
AMERICANS NEED TO LEARN SPANISH,,,
Obama to America--Learn Spanish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W7srmHLclw
Barack Obama: Your Children Should Learn To Speak Spanish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZprtPat1Vk
HUSSEIN SUPPORTS AMNESTY TO THE FULLEST,,,
from his own website,,,
Barack Obama On Amnesty
Barack Obama supports amnesty to the fullest.
http://www.barackobamawin.com/barack-obama-amnesty.htm
The Chinese promised "good weather" what- 2 years before the Olympics? Are they THAT FAR AHEAD OF US?
"Convenient" that SO MANY weather "coincidences" are occurring JUST when the GOP would face SCRUTINY concerning their RECORD OF SELF-Interest OVER the common good.
SMOKE AND MIRRORS is NOW WIND AND WATER DIVERSIONS.
Next up RIGGED voting machines by the "new and improved" DIEBOLD by any other name..
If you''re addressing me - Sorry NOT all that interested in Obama - More interested in PRESERVING our CONSTITUTION. I DISTRUST people that on Day One get proven to be a LIAR and i goes DOWNHILL from there.
Ron Paul was Right about the STATE OF OUR ECONOMY living in the State of DENIAL doesn''t make it better, Hillary was right about the needs of our Health Care system your Ivory Tower NEOCONS HAVEN''T got a CLUE.
Don''t you find it in the LEAST worrisome that
McCain ADMITTED he "didn''t know about the ECONOMY,
McCain ADMITTED he DIDN''T know about Technology,
Palin ADMITTED she had NO ideas "what a Vice-President did all day.
Sheesh..let''s just defend ALL poor choices, hold NOBODY ACCOUNTABLE and empty out the prisons!
No wait, that''s what the "do as I say Not as I do NEO-CON artists party does for themselves! (remember "Scooter" Libby?)
The rest of us just get to FOOT THE BILL for their self-interested foolishness.
Terrorist Williams Ayers
Know racial bigot Louis Farrakhan
His preacher of %u201CGod Dam- American fame Rev. Wright
Sarah Palin embraced:
Her daughter
Whose values match yours?
How can you blame it on Ms. Palin?
Hillary could not control her Hillbilly Husband.
You must life like a nun.
A Socialist, Communist Nun!
Obama: Worked his way to the top by cultivating, pandering to and stroking the most powerful interest groups in the all-pervasive Chicago political machine, ensuring his views were aligned with the power brokers there.
Palin: Worked her way to the top by challenging, attacking and actively undermining the Republican party establishment in her native Alaska. She ran against incumbent Republicans as a candidate willing and able to clean the Augean Stables of her state''s government.
I can "relate" to the people on Jerry Springer since some of my friends, relatives and neighbors are about that DYSFUNCTIONAL but I WOULD NOT INSIST THEY BE THE VICE PRESIDENT and potentially the PRESIDENT of this Nation and "overlook" their POOR CHOICES!!
I can feel sorry for her daughter who resorted to Pregnancy either from a need to feel "comfort", get attention or lack of Knowledge and my guess is all three.
I CANNOT EXCUSE Mrs. Palin''s crass neglect or encouragement of that situation and subsequent OPPORTUNISM REGARDLESS of the CONSEQUENCES to her family!
SINCE WHEN was it a race to the BOTTOM for HOW DYSFUNCTIONAL our NEOCON PUPPET Nominees could be!
What next!!
They ALREADY have a Jerry Springer style DIVORCE BATTLE over her sister with the "Relatives" JUMPING in to throw LEGAL PUNCHES. Then we have the "great jaw dropping "reveal of an UNEXPECTED secret" all we''re missing is the threats which I''m sure will come with the NEW Attorney and Jerry Springer to sum it up with some sort of halfhearted "moral".
GREAT ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE PRURIENT but NOT ACCEPTABLE for someone tasked to LEAD our nation!
I stand by my statement. IF she CANNOT be an effective "LEADER" of Her family; WHY OVERBURDEN her with LEADING our NATION???
Ms. Palin runs a State that boarders two countries.
What has Mr. Obama done beside "give a speech" as Ms. Clinton suggested?
GW Bush.
err i am an obama supporter , but I can guarrantee you the next president will be a senator no matter who wins . distorted logic in support of eitehr side does no one a favor
Posted by rhs648 at 04:10 PM : Sep 01, 2008
+ report abuse
actually I agree with most of this .it has little to do with running for the president , if I wanted to read the tabloid stuff , I would buy the enquirer or study republican attack odds "He is the One " "obamas terrorist ties" etc.
"What I''m hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everybody is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arenas here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, this is--this is working very well for them."
%u2014 Barbara Bush, on Katrina victims sheltered at the Astrodome
"Why should we hear about body bags and deaths? It''s not relevant. So why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?"
%u2014 Barbara Bush, Good Morning, America, re: Iraq war. 3/19/03
look another opportunity for people on the gulf cost to improve their lives and for veterans and gold star families to improve their mind set. its win win
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Not too private if Mrs. Palin released it to the press. Personally, I would have honored my daughter''s privacy.
If you CAN''''T SUCCESSFULLY LEAD YOUR FAMILY then HOW can you be successful at the MORE INTRICATE challenges of LEADING A NATION????
Or will the GOP Spin it as a NEW POPULATION EXPANSION PLAN so we have enough KIDS to man a DOZEN WARS?
Posted by homespunlady
Wow! 1) It is so kind to judge Palin on the basis of something her daughter may have done. Kids often do things that defy their upbringing. It is not uncommon for children to get into trouble even when they have the best upbringing. 2) Many Americans should be able to relate to Palin as a parent. Both out of wedlock births are at epidemic proportions and many people opt to live together out of wedlock and have children. 3) Perhaps you are overstepping what is considered a private family matter.
So Cindy McSame and Laura Bush will be speaking tonight about helping the hurricane victims, etc. I wonder why they didn''t get Barbara Bush involved?
Do we all remember when Barbara made her comment about the horrific conditions in the Astrodome following Katrina? "And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this - this is working very well for them."
Yes, and let them eat cake if they have no bread. And, if their house gets destroyed by the hurricane, they should just stay in one of their other 7 houses.
GW Bush.
When former Texas governor Bush because president, he cut funding for a program to corral and dispose of loose nuclear weapons grade material in the former Soviet Union, which sought to keep such material out of the hands of Islamic terrorists. Bush, understanding little of national or international affairs, thought terrorism wasn''t an issue (he famously disregarded Clintons advice on Al-Qaida when he came to office).
This is understandable, of course, for a Texas governor. Its even more understandable in a governor, like Palin, who''s been looking after fewer people than the Mayor of Memphis, Tennessee.
When Obama became Senator, he immediately joined the effort to corral nuclear materials in the Soviet Union: (apparently he doesn''t want nuclear material to get into the hands of terrorists either), and travelled to the Ukraine to monitor its progress. (Bush had meekly refunded the effort AFTER 9-11 taught him a lesson in international affairs).
What lessons will Palin be learning ''on the job''??
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