ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 1, 2008
GOP Sees Potential Redemption In Gustav
Politico: Officials Say Curtailed Convention Offers Opportunity For Party To Redeem Itself On The Competence Issue
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Play CBS Video Video GOP Pares Down RNC Republicans took emergency hurricane action by drastically scaling back their convention's opening day. Bob Schieffer reports from Saint Paul, Minnesota.
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Video RNC Preview Bob Schieffer and Jeff Greenfield discuss what to expect at the Republican National Convention this week.
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Sen. John McCain announces there will be changes to the Republican National Convention due to Hurricane Gustav during a media availability outside the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency in Pearl, Miss., as Hurricane Gustav continues to head for the Gulf Coast. Listening are vice presidential running mate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Marsha Barbour, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and Cindy McCain. (AP)
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Interactive Gustav Photos, maps and video on the latest storm to hit the Gulf Coast
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Photo Essay John McCain Some call him a hero, some a maverick. Will Americans call him Mr. President?
Republican officials say their radically curtailed convention offers a big political opportunity for the party to redeem itself on the competence issue - and for John McCain to step out of President Bush’s shadow once and for all.
There's no doubt it's a bit morbid to think about (and write about) the politics of a potential natural disaster and the thoughts - and prayers - of those gathering here are keenly focused on the Americans who face potential peril in Gustav’s path. That’s true for Republicans, Democrats and members of the media alike.
But this is a national political convention and the potential political fallout of Gustav is a topic that was consuming Republican Party and McCain campaign officials on Sunday - one day before the official start of what had been planned as four days of festivities here.
“You don’t wish for it, but it shows McCain dealing with a surprise - a big event that has consequences on people,” a convention planner said. “It’s redemption for the Republican Party on the competence issue. The convention ends up being about John McCain showing the best way to serve a cause greater than yourself.”
The storm carries with it political risk, too: if the government botches the emergency response it could further erode the public’s confidence in the GOP’s governing competence.
The looming storm ravaged convention plans, forcing Bush and Vice President Cheney to cancel live speeches, Monday's schedule to largely be cancelled and the media to turn its focus to what could be another Hurricane Katrina or worse.
But, in cold political terms, this could be a very good thing for McCain. At the very least, it pulls an unpopular president and vice president away from here at a time when Democrats are ready to hit McCain with a barrage of ads and talking points linking him to Bush.
One GOP consultant on what the absence of a Bush speech means for the party: "A whole series of Obama ads now in the dumper."
Convention planners weren't thrilled with the lack of star power during the first few days anyway.
GOP leaders - and the Obama/Biden campaign as well - also are being carefully proactive to do everything possible to help the beleaguered residents of the Gulf Coast. The McCain campaign plans to write a check for hurricane relief and was making charter jets to delegates from the areas in Gustav’s projected track who need to fly home.
McCain and his new running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, flew to Mississippi on Sunday to show they are on top of things. Back here, there is talk of convention-goers raising money for victims or putting together care packages for victims - a genuinely good gesture if they do it and probably good politics, too.
“This is McCain doing the right thing, showing leadership and taking command,” the convention planner said. “He’s deciding how to handle this, and Bush is irrelevant.”
The unexpected disaster also offers the GOP a do-over on Bush's disastrous response to Katrina three years ago. If the government can do a much better job of responding to a natural disaster this time around, it can only help the GOP.
The officials would not discuss the political implications on the record. But their thinking is clear, based on not-for-attribution interviews.
The positive byproducts: No photos of Bush at the convention; an even lower Cheney profile; a chance for an unusual, dramatic charitable move at the convention that cuts against stereotypes about GOP; and the storyline becomes Gustav drama, not McCain vs. the GOP, or abortion or any other divisive issue.
Republican officials said the images from here will present a positive contrast with the celebratory Democratic convention last week in Denver. The storm could paralyze Democratic efforts to hit McCan on several fronts.
“The contrast between McCain’s responsibility and the fanatical followers in the temple of the Lord Obama won’t be lost on everyday husbands and wives trying to meet their own responsibilities,” a Republican official said.
Frank Luntz, a Republican consultant who was in the Twin Cities for the convention, warned that Gustav could hurt the party because it “reminds everyone of Katrina, which was a disaster for the GOP.”
“It doesn’t allow them to pout forward a message contrary to Obama because everyone is focused on the hurricane,” Luntz said. “Delegates were very turned on about Sarah Palin, but now they don’t get to celebrate that.”
Charles Mahtesian and Jonathan Martin contributed to this story.
By Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen
Copyright 2008 POLITICO
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See all 228 Commentsobama would had been nice and dry stepping on top of those people submerged in water..
"bring a leaky boat..make sure it stays afloat long enough for a nice photo-op"
"bring a leaky boat..make sure it stays afloat long enough for a nice photo-op"
"bring a leaky boat..make sure it stays afloat long enough for a nice photo-op"
Posted by middlecrank at 09:41 PM : Sep 01, 2008
Yup. That is why if McCain is elected--he will start a war with Iran to make up for Iraq....and we will proclaim our acts heroic there too. These Freudian complexes are sooooo predictable. LOL
Wasilla, 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.
Can you give me 44 cents so I can buy a KFC box lunch?
As I remember - there was LOTS of money DIVERTED from the 9/11 victims, NY First Responders AND Katrina victims DONATIONS and Federal funding to pay for such things as CRONY CONTRACTORS, Caribbean Resorts, Idaho Farmers and OTHER "loyalists".
Gustav :amerciacn tax payers billions
Republicans: hiding their own leaders and policies priceless
She''s JUST A 44 YEAR OLD LITTLE GIRL that''s SO helpless!
OBVIOUSLY she''s SO QUALIFIED to CRY if the BIG BAD PUTIN laughs at her for being such a Jerry Springer HICK.
So, BE NICE NOW to the POOR LITTLE MRS. PALIN she''s going to be a NICE and GOOD LITTLE "sugar and SPICE " running MATE for BIG John
- see she SMILES SO PRETTY and licks her lips SO CUTELY - not at ALL like those GRUMPY PANTSUIT WEARING MEANIES that want REAL RIGHTS and that HORRIBLE EVOLUTION lie in our CHRISTIAN GOD FEARING PUBLIC SCHOOLS!!!
Yeah riiight - nothing like a HYPOCRITICAL DOUBLE STANDARD - if the woman was on the DEM side or even 3rd party she''d have been LAUGHED and MOCKED OFF THE STAGE on the FIRST DAY!! Since she''s a "good (hypocritical liar) Christian SHE gets a FREE PASS!!!!
LEVEES HOLD
RESIDENTS EVACUATED
REPUBLICAN CONVENTION ON HOLD-HOLDING FUNDRAISERS FOR VICTIMS
NO LOOTING
WAY TO GO DUBYA!!
Posted by tothestars2 at 05:00 PM
That is the story they will try to tell even though Gustav was a Category 1 Hurricane when it hit the Gulf Coast and Katrina was a Category 3 (on a scale where 1 is low and 5 is high). I am glad to hear most people (and apparently everyone desiring evacuation) were successfully evacuated and hopefully remain safe.
Palin was the only gubernatorial candidate that year who consistently supported the Gravina Island Bridge, the Knik Arm Bridge and improvements to the Parks Highway.
Yet she pretends on national TV %u201CI championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress,%u201D Palin said at her first campaign appearance. %u201CIn fact, I told Congress %u2014 I told Congress, %u2018Thanks, but no thanks,%u2019 on that bridge to nowhere. That is not how Palin described her position on the Gravina Island bridge when she ran for governor in 2006.
On Oct. 22, 2006, %u201CWould you continue state funding for the proposed Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges?%u201D
Her response: %u201CYes. Palin%u2019s support of the earmark for the bridge was applauded by the late Lew Williams Jr., the retired Ketchikan Daily News publisher who wrote columns on the topic. Williams wrote on Oct. 29, 2006, that Palin was the only gubernatorial candidate that year who consistently supported the Gravina Island Bridge, the Knik Arm Bridge and improvements to the Parks Highway.
Grand Old Poopers
U ses
S torm
T o
A ppease
V oters
No, I got mine from google and the 497,000 articles on Obama on raising taxes!
BAAAAABAAAAAA BAAAAAAA lol
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