GOP eyes Gustav: Convention plans go

by Mark Silva

DENVER - Republicans are keeping a wary eye on Tropical Storm Gustav, which is forging a path through the Gulf of Mexico and could threaten New Orleans or other points along the Gulf Coast as a major hurricane early next week.
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But at this stage, the Republican National Committee says, all plans are go for the Republican National Convention in Minnesota that opens Monday.

" We're monitoring the situation and moving forward with the convention at this time,'' a party spokeswoman told the Tribune this morning. "Senator McCain has always been sensitive to national crisis - in the 2000 race he postponed his announcement because of the situation in the Balkans.''

Sensitive indeed. The image of a lavish Republican Party underway as a damaging storm strikes the Gulf Coast could serve as a painful reminder of the criticism the Bush White House suffered for its handling of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated coastal communities and New Orleans three years ago this weekend.

The Bush administration's handling of the Katrina catastrophe in the early days subjected the president to widespread criticism for a lack of concern.

The Washington Post today reported that the threat of Gustav is serious enough that White House officials were considering canceling his convention appearance on the opening night of the party meeting in St. Paul., Minn.

Both the president and Vice President Dick Cheney are slated to speak on the opening night - though Bush is scheduled to fly on to the Camp David presidential retreat that night.

"For Bush and Republican presidential candidate John McCain, Gustav threatens to provide an untimely reminder of Hurricane Katrina,'' the Post notes. "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.''