Aug 31 2008
Bush-Cheney Will Not Attend RNC Convention
The Republican Convention will go on; but without several high profile members. The Republican governors of the Gulf States possibly impacted by Hurricane Gustav have rightfully opted to play it by ear. Today Senator McCain is in Mississippi at the invitation of Gov. Haley Barbour to observe the preparations for Hurricane Gustav. Senator Obama has decided to wait before visiting the region, citing his presence on the Gulf “can be a distraction in these kinds of situtations.”
The Huffington Post is reporting this morning that President Bush and V.P. Cheney have announced they will not attend “because of the storm”; along with Florida Governor Crist whose state is still recovering from Tropical Storm Fay. California Governor Schwarzenegger will also miss the convention due to a state budget dispute.
The Republican Convention is obviously changing course in response to Hurricane Gustav. Rudi Giuliani, the keynote speaker for the convention stated 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.” Done in a serious way…how else would you “do” a major hurricane?
