GOP to replace convention speeches with hurricane “service program”?
posted at 5:50 pm on August 30, 2008 by Allahpundit
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If they do nothing they’ll be slammed for callousness and if they do the right thing they’ll be slammed for exploitation, so there’s no reason whatsoever not to do the latter. Oh, except of course that it meddles with God’s plan to help Obama win by wrecking New Orleans.
It’s not just the fringe types like Michael Moore who are advancing that “argument” either, do note.
John McCain and the GOP are considering scrapping political speeches and turning their St. Paul/Minneapolis convention into a “service” program to help victims of Storm Gustav, The Post has learned.
Sources told The Post that McCain himself might visit the Gulf Coast during the week of the Republican National Convention, which begins tomorrow. McCain is not scheduled to make his nomination speech until Thursday.
The contingency plan – a worst case scenario if the storm devastates coastal areas – would turn Republicans into Red Cross-type volunteers who would help collect donations, food and goods to help storm victims.
It’s almost a Category 5 already. Presumably all the speakers will be asked to spend the week around the Gulf and fly into Minneapolis for one day only for their speech, with lots of cross-cutting between the two locations to remind viewers that they have a foot in both places. I doubt they’ll abandon the set pieces altogether since they’re planning to push McCain’s POW experience hard. Let’s just hope he doesn’t oversell it with heavy-handed hurricane analogies. (“Americans are suffering tonight — and I know suffering. After all…”) The one bright spot in an otherwise big mess of bad? It’s ample excuse to cancel Bush and Cheney. Exit question: Should they just postpone it entirely? If so, for how long? The Gulf won’t look much better two weeks from now than it will by next Thursday.
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Good for you, sven.
Well, here’s something Ed and I can agree on.
alphie on August 30, 2008 at 8:38 PM
The Dems should be careful what they wish for….
If the storm does a lot of damage, Obama will have to continue to fundraise and solicit donations in its aftermath, competing with solicitations for relief efforts. The Obama campaign might have to tone down their fundraising significantly.
rw on August 30, 2008 at 8:38 PM
Nominate McCain and Palin the first night, and then donate the rest of the money that would have been spent to Hurricane Relief.
Send everyone home or to help as they can.
The Convention is already moot.
Be a Maverick.
Really CHANGE things.
Ropa-dope the HOPE-meister.
profitsbeard on August 30, 2008 at 8:40 PM
I recall the recent video of Jimmah Cotta at the Dem convention when he laid the whole blame of the Katrina disaster at the feet of Bush. Then the loathesome Obama saying a city drowned while the government did nothing. These arrogant s-o bees. Who could stop or steer away a hurricane. The numbnut Nagin fumbled and bumbled while people, who did know their left from the right, floundered, and the hapless governor, also a democrat folded under pressure. Scape goating is all these people know. The Republican convention is kowtowed by media pressure to implode under the threat of criticism for being insensitive. I’ve heard too much glee from the feckless MSM talking about how ironic it is that this hurricane will be a stark reminder of Katrina and the Bush handling of it. No one will take personal responsibility for the majority of other failures attributable to liberals and democrats.
wepeople on August 30, 2008 at 8:40 PM
Ed in essence I was brainstorming. That said, however I do think it would be good for McCain and Palin to at least make a donations pitch from a safe zone in the region at some point OR push hard for part of the show.
The party needs to be visible doing more than checking off on 2000 dollar free money that gets misused and abused….
we are supposed to be the party of community action and charity…not the party of “I’ll tax you so you can say I gave at the office”.
regards, and glad you are happy here
sven
sven10077 on August 30, 2008 at 8:41 PM
Good idea.
sven10077 on August 30, 2008 at 8:42 PM
God bless all of you in the path of this storm. Stay safe!!
MochaLite on August 30, 2008 at 8:50 PM
I predict there will be nothing but wind and water to see in NO and by Tuesday it will be gone. On Wednesday there will be relief efforts lead by LANG on the ground. After that Gustav and NO will fade from the news. Jindal and the DoD have got this one handled and anything outside of NO is of no interest to any one except those of us who have to endure it.
Texas Gal on August 30, 2008 at 8:52 PM
The convention is for the Republican Party which gets together every four years to nominate a candidate. To cancel is to disrespect all the delegates. That would be very serious mistake just for PR to appear compassionate. Bush can go to NO and still fly back for the convention. The speches may reflect what is going on but the convention exist. Otherwise lets just get rid of the whole election process. Roll call is the chance the states get to choose their nominee and show off.
Now since McCain and Palin do not go on for 2 days there is no reason they can’t go and show their compassion and it would make great photo ops. Especially for Palin. Helps to introduce her to the Gulf States.
RAH on August 30, 2008 at 8:55 PM
The problem is this microscopic concern with NOLA.
I find it offensive and frankly 100% cynical politics.
To the democrats there is no other area being threatened since it does not jive with their “Chimpy hates blacks” meme. The rest of the nation forgot about the other areas nailed by Katrina and it is as though Rita never happened. Lake Charles looked as bad as most of NOLA….didn’t matter though because it didn’t have the 9th ward.
Whatever I am glad I will get the full brunt of the storm and NOLA will be over 150 miles from the point of impact.
That tells me that GOD is looking out for that blessed city and saving the challenge of his fury for those of us that can weather the storm.
No pun intended.
Sugar Ray Nagin doing disaster planning is like Mother frickin’ Theresa coching Mike Tyson on body blows.
sven10077 on August 30, 2008 at 9:00 PM
A good report of what Gov. Jindal has done in preparedness.
Link:
Louisiana National Guard at Full Operational Status Governor Calls All Available Troops to Action Neighboring States Ready to Assist
“the governor has submitted a request to Congress to change the status of all troops from state active duty to Title 32 status, allowing the Soldiers and Airmen to receive more pay and benefits.”
BDU-33 on August 30, 2008 at 9:14 PM
No matter what the party does the media will crucify them so…lets try something different. Let’s do the right thing for once.
How about nominating the candidate muy pronto, then sending everyone home except for volunteers who can raise money for the disaster, give blood, etc.
That is the right thing to do…all else is simply politics. That storm IS going to hit somewhere and when it does it will be a pretty vast disaster. Also note the thing is followed by another storm.
JIMV on August 30, 2008 at 10:51 PM
Me too.
One could argue it’s racism – but we all know that liberals and Democrats can’t possibly be racist.
Dr. Bob on August 30, 2008 at 11:26 PM
God I hate Democrats.
Griz on August 30, 2008 at 11:31 PM
Hate is an ugly word, my friend.
Grow Fins on August 30, 2008 at 11:40 PM
Seems someone is listening and thinking
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080831/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_mccain_gustav
JIMV on August 31, 2008 at 12:05 AM
Y’all are making good sense, and using remarkable creativity, but I’m with Ed and rockhauler, here.
Relief efforts would NOT best be served by a buncha extra folks around the very first few days.
The MSM will be broadcasting everything, anyway, so speak the truth about the great (GOP) response, etc. right there in the hall, since they’ll be a ‘captive audience’.. hehe…
AND don’t forget just how many PO’ed delegates and convention venders the MSM will find to speak with, if it’s all cancelled or even shortened. *shudders* !
Be safe everyone !
pambi on August 31, 2008 at 12:08 AM
13 out of the 15 projections have this a direct hit on New Orleans. Rarely do people get a second chance, this is it for the government and NOLA. From Bush to Nagin I hope they get it right this time.
koolbrease on August 31, 2008 at 12:26 AM
If the government response to this hurricane is a vast improvement over the response to Katrina, or just seen to be a vast improvement over what the Katrina response is believed to have been… that’s a HUGE boost for Governor Jindal. The federal government is under the same administration (Bush). The local government is under the same administration (Nagin). What’s different?
(Palin-Jindal ‘12)
ClintACK on August 31, 2008 at 1:06 AM
Gotta remember, Clint, that until the Governor requests disaster aid, the Feds cannot step in. Bush’s hands were tied until Blanco finally- several days later- decided to stop crying and ask for Fed help. Alabama and Mississippi were already running again by that time because their Governors didn’t screw around. As for Nagin, well, I’m gonna lay odds that His Chocolateness was told in no uncertain terms that this time, he WILL have his act together. Gov. Jindal? He’s already 3 steps ahead. I doubt there’s going to be any media-fed ‘human disaster’ at the Superdome or on the local freeway overpasses this time around.
BillH on August 31, 2008 at 2:20 AM
Absolutely. So all the morons running around screaming fascism on Bush’s part simultaneously blame him for not overstepping the bounds on government.
Spirit of 1776 on August 31, 2008 at 2:54 AM
There’s a post administration parody book in there somewhere:
A Day in the Life of ‘Chimpy’-the Passive/Aggressive Projection Game and President Bush
sven10077 on August 31, 2008 at 3:06 AM
So is “Democrat”
JIMV on August 31, 2008 at 9:27 AM
Hey! I object to that characterization! And so would our Sarah P. :-)
Alphie has no gonads of either type, and therefore should be referred to as “it.”
Come to think of it, Alphie has no cerebrum, and therefore should not be referred to at all.
Mary in LA on August 31, 2008 at 8:45 PM
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