Red State blogger “absentee” had the good fortune to travel from Denver to Charlotte after the Democratic convention with DNC National Chair Don Fowler and Congressman John Spratt of South Carolina. His fortune turned into Fowler’s misfortune, as it turns out the blogger videotaped a conversation on the plane between the two prominent Democrats, who seem pleased about Hurricane Gustav. In fact, Fowler apparently believes it to be divine intervention, as shown in this clip:

The hurricane’s going to hit New Orleans about the time they start. [Chuckle] The timing is — at least it appears now that it’ll be there Monday. That just demonstrates that God’s on our side. [Laughter] … Everything’s cool.

This comes just a day after Brother Michael Moore saw the Face of God in a natural disaster bearing down on New Orleans. Did the Democratic convention hold a seminar in Denver on how to take glee in the misfortune of others, as long as it works for you politically? While we’ve come to expect this from Moore, who is obnoxious even at the best of times, seeing this kind of weird schadenfreude from elected officials and high-ranking party members comes off … rather ghoulishly.

Absentee also reports that the pair had quite a laugh over Sarah Palin’s nomination, but apparently he didn’t get that on tape. They shrugged her off as a non-entity except for the accident of gender, and called her — oddly — “Dan Quayle on steroids”. None of that is rather exceptional, except that one can be sure that their official line will sound at least slightly more dignified, even if just as far removed from reality.

It does seem curious that Absentee had the camera at the ready while the plane was apparently in flight, and that neither Democrat noticed it. This also prompts a question of ethics, which all of us should consider carefully. Should private conversations between politicians get videotaped surreptitiously like this? If so, then perhaps Fowler and many, many others should take better care about having a laugh at the misery of others, even among friends.

Update (AP): I made this point in the Moore post yesterday but it bears repeating: This is their philosophy on Iraq too, of course. Defeat actually helps America, because defeat puts Democrats in power and only by having Democrats in power can America “progress.” Bear this in mind the next time Sen. Hopenchange affects indignation in wondering what McCain could possibly mean with his insinuations about putting country first. This is what he means.