They should have McCain make his acceptance speech by satellite and Palin hosting the show in St. Paul - showing that she is a great surrogate.
Complete overreaction if they don’t attend and a HUGE mistake! McCain needs to get Palin get out in the spotlight now, not cowering from fears about how the Rats might try to paint the convention during a hurricane.
I guess images of them down there to help out would be just to much to take...
Why, this appears to be a report by Jonathan Martin....
Of course, Noggin could fold like a cheap lawn chair at any time.
POSTPONE it!
Have them both there near the Gulf helping people...and on the nights in question making their speeches from location via satellite while so doing.
Great chance to show Palin is a superb pick and can lead by demonstrating. Hell, have her MC it like an awards show. lol
Palin should order the Alaskan national guard to be in ready to help in NLA. Then attend the convention!
In the meantime showcase McCain doing 'presidential' stuff where its needed. Just have him stay out of the way and not damage the work by cluttering up the relief efforts with all the hangars on that follow him as a presidential candidate.
I agree. If the convention is delayed, cut-back or diluted,,,the public (and even the MSM) will credit the Republican Party for doing the right thing.
Although most will appreciate that 'pat on the back'--
it will be devastating to the Party--as the Party will literally LOSE millions and millions of dollars for free-advertising which conventions provide. What an incredible lucky break for the democrats. Sigh.
I agree.
By Thursday the storm will have passed. One or both McCain and Palin NEED to get up to the Convention and stop grandstanding at the disaster zone.
Yes, to stay down there for days for photo ops passing water bottles and sandbags and chatting up the very busy Red Cross and FEMA people with an entourage of press and secret service- will look like (will be) gratuitous grandstanding.
Obama and Biden will do that-
That stuff is below McCain and Palin’s paygrade. Taking charge of the party ticket at the Convention is within their paygrade.
People need to get a grip...forecasts indicate that the main event re: Gustav will be later on Monday...by Tuesday it will be an inland rain event. Plenty of flooding to be sure...but not the ‘Katrina-level’ disaster that many Democrats are salivating over. I think the RNC should go on as scheduled. If McCain goes to Louisiana; he’ll be accused of pandering; if he stays in Minnesota; he’ll be reviled for his lack of compassion.
THAT would blow people away used to polished, image-loving politicians. I can't imagine seeing Biden and Obama out there getting dirt under their fingernails.
Hurricanes of this magnitute are ratings-breakers for the media.
The bulk of press coverage and public interest is going to be in the hurricane, not the convention.
All the big reporters are down south waiting to pose in the storm. Political conventions dont make careers, on-the-ground coverage of natural disasters and wars do.
Another thing; If the GOP comes off as sipping champagne, tossing back shrimp, and line dancing to Big & Rich while multiple states drown ... we’re sunk, too.
Go as planned...postpone. Show up in person...by remote. Go out and help people affected by the storm...stay indoors and focus on the convention. They’re damned if they do, they’re damned if they don’t. The Democrats, with the help of the MSM will use any and all criticism regardless what they do.
McCin hasn’t bee in the habit of making mistakes. He will turn this to his advantage one way or another. Remember that OODA loop.
There is nothing candidate McCain can do to quell any damage resulting from an act of God, but there is a tremendous amount he can do to make the Republican Convention a memorable and vitally important to the future of the nation event by attending it with his Conservative running mate, Governor Sarah Palin.
Pray, FReepers, Pray!
Hey... if Obamasiah can part the ocean... then McCain should be able to spit in the wind...
If they hold the convention as scheduled, they will be perceived as being uncaring and callous to the people in the hurricane's path. Furthermore, networks will keep cutting away from the convention to give updates on the hurricane and the contrasting images of people dying and losing their property with the Republicans "partying" up in Minneapolis is going to come across as awful. It may not be fair but it is what it is.
On the other hand, if the Republicans go to the other extreme and "move" their convention to New Orleans, they will be perceived as trying to make political hay out of a bad situation and not only exploiting the victims but seen as getting in the way of rescue operations. Not a good plan either.
But this unfortunate predicament does give the Republican party a chance to show what leadership is. After all, if you are going to lead this country, you are often going to have "no-win" situations like this.
I am sure that there are some very bright people in the GOP discussing the options right now and based on what I've seen of the McCain campaign the past couple of months, I'm confident that they will do what is best.
If I was the decision maker in all of this, I'd have the convention go on in Minneapolis but would cut out almost entirely the political speeches the first day or two. Just take care of the convention business. I would keep Bush and Cheney in Washington and keep McCain and Palin in the Gulf area, not just sitting around but actually assisting in the relief effort. Maybe they can operate out of Bobby Jindal's emergency HQ. Then on Thursday night (after the storm is long gone), they can fly to Minneapolis that evening and give their acceptance speeches - one after the other. (As opposed to giving them separate nights). That would be sure to guarantee a huge TV audience for Palin as McCain would immediately follow her with his acceptance speech.