Bush/Cheney not going to convention

[gwd-scouter]

Just heard on the news that Pres. Bush and VP Cheney will not be going to the republican convention because of hurricane Gustav. Also heard there is the possibility that the convention will be postponed or shortened to cover administrative details and the nomination of McCain and Palin.

[Tokala]

But, the residents of New Orleans already know that the Bush administration doesn't care about them. Although, they did reelect the bumbling Nagin also.

[TheScout]

The evacuation of New Orleans seems to be going well. Does the President get praised? He got blamed when everything went wrong last time.

[gwd-scouter]

I will offer my praise in that THIS time, they seem to be doing things right.

[John-in-KC]

Maybe folks are learning lessons. Maybe.

 

Anyone care to bet on how many folks are going to stay behind THIS time?

 

Looking at the most recent map of Gustav compared to the Gulf states, this thing is reasonably big.

 

I think the Republicans are doing the right thing in turning the big production into a short administrative affair. I'd send all but 50 delegates home... one for each state, and shrink the size of the thing down to one hotel conference room.

 

Then I'd ask the delegates to donate what they would have spent to the American Red Cross... and to donate blood.

 

Someone said it a couple days ago. Conventions the last few cycles are nothing more than 4 day infomercials.

[gwd-scouter]

Call me cynical. If Katrina and the mismanagement of its aftermath had never happened, I doubt the republicans would be showing so much concern for the citizens of the gulf region or canceling speeches and shortening their convention. Can anyone tell me if either party has ever showed so much concern over a natural disaster BEFORE it actually happened?

[TheScout]

One has to hate when people learn from mistakes (assuming the federal government made mistakes last time, as all recall Louisiana was run my Democrats at the state and local level)

[BMinsker]

Put me in with the cynics as well. The image of George Bush addressing a bunch of partying Republican delegates at the convention while a hurricane hits New Orleans almost exactly three years after Katrina was clearly one the RNC wished to avoid.

 

That said, it's clear that all of the government bodies and most of the population of New Orleans have realized there's nothing to be learned from the second kick of a mule. The question is if Gustav weakens (like it seems to be) and NO comes through relatively unscathed, what happens the next time a hurricane bears down on them?

[NJCubScouter]

It is fairly clear that every move the federal, state and local governments (and the Republican party) are making at the moment is designed to avoid any comparisons (other than favorable ones) with the Katrina debacle. But I don't see anything wrong with that. The point is to avoid the same mistakes, and if part of the considerations are political... well, of course they are. What do you expect?

[Tokala]

"I'd send all but 50 delegates home... one for each state, and shrink the size of the thing down to one hotel conference room.

 

Then I'd ask the delegates to donate what they would have spent to the American Red Cross... and to donate blood."

I'd swear John McCain said the same thing.

 

Let's all take off our political hats and put on our American hats.