McCain: I May Postpone Convention

[The Sushi Bandit]

Source: Pioneer Press



John McCain said the Republican National Convention may be postponed as federal officials said Hurricane Gustav was gathering to a devastating Category 5 as it headed toward star-crossed New Orleans.

"It just wouldn't be appropriate to have a festive occasion while a near-tragedy or a terrible challenge is presented in the form of a natural disaster," McCain told Chris Wallace of "Fox News Sunday," in an interview taped for tomorrow. "So we're monitoring it from day to day and I'm saying a few prayers, too."

McCain also said: "I'm afraid, Chris, that we may have to look at that situation and we'll try to monitor it. I've been talking to Govs. Jindal, Barbour, Riley. Chris, I've been talking to all of them."


Read more: http://www.twincities.com/ci_10344638

---

P.S. Fuck McCain...

[BrklynLiberal]

1. What a crock of crapola...

[Blaq Dem]

45. They say they may raise money for Red Cross

...so that they can look as if they care about the hurricane victims.

[704wipes]

72. oh crap there goes the scotch and hooker money

nt

[dbonds]

2. Hmmmmm.....

"It just wouldn't be appropriate to have a festive occasion while a near-tragedy or a terrible challenge is presented in the form of a natural disaster,"

Like a birthday party with the president?

[bluedeminredstate]

9. You took the words out of my mouth!

Having a real nice photo op for your adoring press lapdogs with the Chimperor and you digging into your birthday cake while the residents of New Orleans clung to their roofs as the water rose, or worse, suffocated in the human waste-filled Superdome with loved ones dying around them...yeah, that would be totally inappropriate. :sarcasm:

Wanker.

[niceypoo]

71. This cake?

[DJ13]

3. "It just wouldn't be appropriate to have a festive occasion while a near-tragedy...."

Uh huh........

[Mojambo]

7. Not again, anyway. n/t

[jimshoes]

11. In an election year

that is.

[proud patriot]

56. That picture is the first thing that came to my mind as well

[HopeHoops]

66. Babelfish translation: GOP BS to Truth

Source text (GOP BS): "innapropriate to have a festive occasion while a near tragedy"
Translation (Truth): "inconvenient to have a reminder of Katrina during our party"

(edited for spelling)

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. "Festive occasion?" Yeah right, John.

Bwahahahahaha.

[Blaq Dem]

33. It will be boring anyway

We already know how things will go.

A parade of military people, war this war that, Bible freaks damning New Orleans to hell again, maybe few token Uncle Toms who hate black people...

And a new addition to the mix: Bitter B!tches leftover from Hilary's supporters. Dumb enough to support McCain and Palin even though they have absolutely no record of supporting women's rights.

[psychmommy]

38. ha ha ha

a bunch of my friends blah blah. ready on day one blah blah. i have experience blah blah. i am a maverick blah blah. prolife blah blah. blah blah
i am gonna watch it. it's like a train wreck-i can't look away. i like the 'chemistry' between the 2.

[ksimons]

55. Senator Obama when the cameras are off... what's he up to ??

It is nice that everyone is giving speeches and putting out ten-point plans to commemorate Hurricane Katrina. However, I’m more interested in knowing what people have been doing when the cameras were off. What is the Obama record on this issue?

(partial list only - see link below for full)

* Sept. 2, 2005: Obama holds press conference urging Illinoisans to contribute to the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
* Sept. 5, 2005: Obama goes to Houston to visit evacuees with Presidents Clinton and Bush.
* Sept. 7, 2005: Obama introduces bill to create a national emergency family locator system
* Sept. 8, 2005: Obama introduces bill to create a National Emergency Volunteers Corps.
* Sept. 8, 2005: Obama co-sponsors the Katrina Emergency Relief Act of 2005 introduced by Senator Harry Reid
* Sept. 8, 2005: Obama co-sponsors the Hurricane Katrina Bankruptcy Relief and Community Protection Act of 2005 introduced by Sen Feingold
* Sept. 12, 2005: Obama introduces legislation requiring states to create an emergency evacuation plan for society’s most vulnerable
* Sept. 15, 2005: Obama issues public response to President Bush’s speech about Gulf Coast rebuilding.
* Sept. 21, 2005: Obama co-sponsors bill to establish Katrina commission to investigate response to the disaster introduced by Sen Clinton
* Sept. 21, 2005: Obama appears on NPR to discuss the role of poverty in Hurricane Katrina.
* Sept. 22, 2005: Obama and Coburn’s Hurricane Katrina financial oversight bill unanimously passes Senate committee.
* Sept. 22, 2005: Obama’s amendment requiring evacuation plans unanimously passes Senate committee.
* Sept. 29, 2005: Obama and Coburn investigate possible FEMA refusal of free cruise ship offer
* Oct. 6, 2005: Obama and Coburn issue statement on FEMA Decision to re-bid Katrina contracts
* Oct. 6, 2005: Obama co-sponsors Gulf Coast Infrastructure Redevelopment and Recovery Act of 2005.
* Nov. 17, 2005: Obama and Coburn introduce legislation asking FEMA to immediately re-bid all Katrina reconstruction contracts.
* Feb. 1, 2006: Obama gives Senate floor speech on his legislation to help children affected by Hurricane Katrina
* Feb. 2, 2006: Obama introduces legislation to help low-income children affected by Hurricane Katrina
* May 2, 2006: Obama gives speech about no-bid contracts in Hurricane Katrina reconstruction
* May 4, 2006: Obama’s legislation to end no-bid contracts for Hurricane Katrina reconstruction passed the Senate.
* June 15, 2006: Obama and Coburn announce legislation to require amendment to create competitive bidding for Hurricane Katrina
* June 15, 2006: Obama releases podcast about his pending Katrina reconstruction legislation in the Senate.
* June 16, 2006: Obama and Coburn get no-bid Hurricane Katrina reconstruction amendment into Department of Defense authorization bill.
* July 14, 2006: Obama and Coburn’s legislation to end abuse of no-bid contracts passes senate as amendment to Defense authorization bill.
* August 11, 2006: Obama visits Xavier University in New Orleans to give Commencement address
* August 14, 2006: Obama and Coburn ask FEMA to address ballooning no-bid contracts for Gulf Coast reconstruction
* Sept. 29, 2006: Obama and Coburn legislation to prevent abuse of no-bid contracts passes Senate to be sent to President’s desk
* June 20, 2007: Obama co-sponsors Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act of 2007 introduced by Senator Chris Dodd.
* July 27, 2007: Obama and colleagues get measure in Homeland Security bill to investigate FEMA trailers re: toxic chemical formaldehyde
* Aug. 26, 2007: Obama outlines a detailed Hurricane Katrina recovery plan.
* December 18, 2007: Obama calls on President Bush to protect affordable housing in New Orleans
* February 16, 2008: Obama releases statement on toxic Gulf Coast trailers

I left several off but they are ALL located at:
http://thinkonthesethings.wordpress.com/2007/08/29/when-the-cameras-are-off-barack-obamas-hurricane-katrina-record/

They want to spread the word so thought this was an appropriate forum

[psychopomp]

58. I hadn't seen that list--a paper trail that links Obama to sanity

I think the country is still in shock and denial regarding the aftermath of Katrina and the Federal government's active denial of aid and assistance to the people that suffered and died.

Who was able to enter New Orleans? Blackwater goons!

"Katrina: Authorities bar Red Cross from NOLA; Blackwater gets carte blanche"
http://www.boingboing.net/2005/09/09/katrina-authorities-.html

[crickets]

60. WOW. Thank you!

That is what true conscientious governmental representation looks like. This is a man who FOLLOWS UP, and for people who aren't even in the state he represents. How many other members of Congress have bothered to address the issue with such perseverance?

I admit I still have a jones about the FISA vote and a couple of other things, but I'm hoping (a bit cynically, I confess - but please make me wrong, Barack, please make me wrong) that once he gets in office he can turn this police state train around.

Thank you so much for posting that. I just can't tell you how much comfort that gives me.

Poor Louisiana, they don't deserve another Katrina. None of the Gulf states, nowhere deserves what has already sown devastation on its way and is about to slam the coast this week. My heart goes out to everybody in Gustav's path.

[DebbieCDC]

73. I'm with you on that FISA vote

That still sticks in my throat. And I too am hopeful that once elected he'll do something to reverse it. You can bet I'll be sending emails and letters and calling to keep bringing that FISA vote up until something is done about it.

[Cleita]

5. Soooo. This is a good time to bring out those videos of him and * eating

birthday cake while Katrina made landfall. If they postpone the convention a week, the anniversary of 9-11 will fall in the middle of it and McCain may want to milk that for all it's worth. I can understand why they wouldn't want their convention going on during while another Katrina disaster is
happening reminding all of their incompetence and contempt for the loss of life and property.

[BearSquirrel2]

28. HoDown!!!!

The prostitutes will be pretty pissed off if they have to extend their hotel arrangements another week to get their business in.

[Richard D]

6. Well . . .

. . . you know that the perv strategists are thinking up ways to make hay off Gustav. McCain going there an being a television hero afterwords - whatever - but you know that they are thinking of ways.

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. Is the federal election funding restriction contingent on him accepting the nomination?

Hmmmm?

[TheCowsCameHome]

10. Move it to Baghdad. It's safe there. You even said so.

You wouldn't lie to us - we're your "friends"

[Myrina]

12. ... basically buying them time to prep the Trophy VP

... for a coherent speech, or perhaps put her total lack of qualification out of everyone's minds altogether.

Sigh.

[NYC Liberal]

13. Two points:

1.) This will just bring more attention to his actions (and Bush's) during Katrina. Even more so than holding it, I think. Postponing a convention is a HUGE deal. Which brings me to #2,

2.) How can they postpone it? These things take well over a year to plan, organize, setup. Delegates and everyone else have reservations, plane tickets, time already taken off from work, etc. etc. etc. Not to mention that the convention center is only theirs for that week. Others will be using it after. So where will they hold it?

If they do this, I don't think they can hold one at all. They'll do a simple vote, get it over with.

[KatyaR]

15. Ah, maybe you're on to something.

If they postpone, it would be hard to do it later, so they do something smaller instead, a special meeting of some kind. Hmm . . . .

[Politicalboi]

44. Maybe in

Larry Craig's backyard. Maybe they couldn't get enough people to attend.

[frogcycle]

17. They just might be looking for an excuse to scrap it.

It is likely to be a dismal affair.

Reportedly many pugs are really pissed over the vp selection; many don't care much for mchouses anyway. Several prominent pugs have said they are not going. He can't draw a crowd on the stump. This "gala event" could well prove to be a big embarassment.

[NYC Liberal]

21. I really think this is what they want.

I think all the Repug Senators up for reelection this year are staying far, far away. Remember one of them saying it was going to be like a funeral?

No, this is what they want.

Don't think they won't spin it though. They're gonna give the line about not wanting to party during the hurricane.

That's when Obama brings out a new ad with those pics of McSame and Bush partying and eating cake during Katrina.

[jobycom]

32. He's not going to postpone it, but he wants to be seen as considering it.

What he can do is stay away from the convention, and more importantly have Bush stay away from the convention. While the party is going on in Minnesota, McCain can be seen trapsing around and looking commandorial and stuff. He can orchestrate his PR department (the media) to cut between somber celebrations at the convention with the delegates and the three or four other people who show up, including his VP pick, while he tours damaged regions, looks stern and compassionate, hands out water while wearing hip boots, and all that. Each night the raucous crowd can be shown a video of McCain caring about the victims, and the media/PR department can show the adoring, admiring, somber faces of the delegates peering up (that's important) at the large video screens, and opining at the greatness of the man.

If the hurricane hits Louisiana, they can show McCain with Jindal as the two orchestrate relief efforts, thus "proving" that the real problem during Katrina was Blanco and Nagin, and not Bush or FEMA, and certainly not McCain. They can even coordinate photoshoots with Nagin, so McCain can look like he likes black people.

Or something like that. You're right, he can't realistically reschedule the convention. Not only will all the convention plans be scrapped, but the plans of all the delegates, and the hotels and restaurants and every other individual entity planning for this, will be ruined. Most delegates plan their vacation time around these things. Canceling would be a disaster.

Just guesses. I'm not as good at guessing as I used to be, though. :(

[PATRICK]

48. The trouble is

They are more prepared for the Convention than to perform actual rescue work in a hurricane. They will have to move their Florida operation(for sacred GOP territory) over to areas earmarked for Halliburton disaster exploitation. They will have to watch oil derricks floating ashore against the their big meme of offshore drilling. McCain doesn't do photo ops all that well(the Baghdad market trip invasion). What is Palin going to do with her baby as she is shooting gators?

The Convention will still be shunned by obvious McCain haters and Palin ill still be unready for prime time.

I think this is going to be typical up to November. Coy uncertainty, surprises, gaming, distractions, foreign policy blood drenched moves. Mondale and other Dems fought the good fight. The GOP is a cornered beast.

[jobycom]

59. Yeah, good post. They are all about style, not about substance.

They keep playing games to fool the voters into looking at everything but the record, because of voters look at the record, the Republican Party disappears overnight.

[Mad_Dem_X]

76. So true!

"They are more prepared for the Convention than to perform actual rescue work in a hurricane."

That's the Repukes in a nutshell, right there.

[LuckyLib]

51. All of the hotel rooms, restaurants, transportation, reservations.

Will the repugs pay all those businessfolk who are ready and waiting? I didn't think so.

[lib2DaBone]

61. They can't cancel...Plane tickets are non-refundable

.. it would cost them millions and millions to cancel. All those delegate plane tickets are non-refundable. McCain is talking out his ass (as usual)

[lonestarnot]

63. Snort!

:rofl: They be a little confused! Scratching watch, winding ass.

[MaineDem]

68. You're absolutely right.

The hotel room block won't be available any other time; the convention site won't be available any other time. This will go on as scheduled but maybe some of the lobbyist parties will be scaled back a bit. Just maybe.

[Zambero]

14. Are they still praying for rain?

If this event was happening concurrent with the Democratic Convention, the fundies would be falling all over themselves claiming that God was sending an angry message to the party of baby-killing gay-marrying liberals. However, since it will be happening during the GOP event, there will be no such hyperbole coming from them.

[Demeter]

16. The GOP Is All But Dead

Such goings-on are beyond the ability of any miracle to fix. There isn't enough money in the world to pull off a McCain victory.

[movonne]

22. Just remember the voting machines...owned by repugs..media owned

by repugs...If it was not for these things I think we would have a grand slam..

[liberal N proud]

18. They will postpone only if it can be done as a political stunt

All they have is stunts and dirty tricks

[Zorro]

19. I hope not. I'm looking forward to seeing the "McPain" ticket in action

[Lorien]

20. He didn't give a flying fuck when Katrina hit

and he doesn't care about those who are STILL suffering in the wake of hurricane Katrina.

[blayne]

23. They could barely afford the convention as it was.

How are they going to fund another one at a different time? They just want to switch the time in order to justify the fact that nobody will be there or even care for that matter.

[ladywnch]

24. they only way the can postpone the convention is if they then compress

the convention. I mean, let's face it, the real business of the convention (rules, platform, nomination process) can be conducted in a couple of days. It's all the 'speechifying' that takes time. If they postpone a day or so, they can still get it done on time. And based on how few people (including party big wigs) are planning actually show up it might be to their advantage to have a shortened event....less embarrassing.

[divineorder]

27. But Still Wouldn't It Cost them Money Anyway?

Even if they shorten it, they still have to pay for places they have already rented out and therefore the security to protect them while empty.

[ladywnch]

I never said it would save them money. those moneies are already

spent. but it would give them cover to keep it short and sweet and not be totally embarrassed on national tv and make them look 'compasionate' in the bargain.

[panzerfaust]

25. BUT BUT BUT we're READY, this time

I mean, we've got the songs picked out 'n all

Cause we rekone God will finish the job up this time:

"We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did."
Rep. Richard Baker (R-LA), as quoted in the Wall Street Journal

Still, not to worry:

“I don’t think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees.”
President Bush

"I have not heard a report of thousands of people in the convention center who don't have food and water."
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, on NPR's "All Things Considered," Sept. 1, 2005

“What didn’t go right?”
President Bush (as quoted by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi)

[BearSquirrel2]

26. LIKE YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!!

I see, you can cancel your convention for a hurricane, but not your birthday party. What a grandstanding asshole.

[yardwork]

29. He had a festive occasion last time a hurricane hit New Orleans.

[JDPriestly]

30. How can they do that -- from a practical point of view?

Their delegates have arranged their lives around the convention.

If they don't hold the convention next week, they won't be able to hold it at all. This is ridiculous.

[Codeine]

31. That would be tasteless, wouldn't it?

:eyes:

[judasdisney]

34. Imagine if a natural disaster had struck during the DEM convention --

-- the "Jesus Is A Republican" ministers would collectively agree that "God is speaking His Judgement upon the Democrats."

But now with Gustav, Democrats won't throw that back in their face. No, that would be "uncouth."

[DogPoundPup]

35. agreed n/t

[Snarkturian Clone]

36. Face it folks, if he didn't want to delay

then DUers would be on here yelling "HE SHOULD DELAY FOR NOLA!!!! DAMN RW OLD-ASS NUTJOB!!!"

But since he IS considering a delay, we feel the need to decry that decision as well.

That's just lame. There's sooooooooooo much to kick McManowar's ass around about, we don't need to shit on this.

Of course, bringing up the fact that he was partying when Katrina hit is a good point.

[Wizard777]

37. But Mc Cain is not allowed to speak for the campaign. It's not "official" when he does.

I'm John McCain and I have no say in approving this message.

:rofl:

[Demeter]

39. IF FEMA DID ITS JOB...

McCain has just signaled no confidence in GWBush's FEMA. That can probably extend to the entire BushCo operation, since it is all so intertwined and connected as to rival incest.

If FEMA did its job, nobody but the FEMA people and the evacuees would be losing any sleep over a hurricane.

But FEMA screwed up big time, and belief in the government is shattered.

So, thinking to make lemonade out of it, McCain muses on rescheduling the convention to take advantage of the storm...if he had any contact with the real world, he would realize that you can't jerk that many people around and expect them to be happy about it.

But then, if W had any contact with reality, he would have realized the same thing 3 years ago....



Upon further consideration, maybe he does want to cancel the whole thing. What if they gave a convention, and nobody showed up? Gustav might be a good way to conceal how destroyed the GOP really is.

[The Wizard]

40. The real reason

Gustav is a secret communist agent working for the Marxist Muslim Obama. Gustav's mission is to make John McCane leave the convention and do a flyover of the storm damage, thus taking the momentum from the Republican convention and handing the election to the Democrat Party.
Ever since the Democrat Party was taken over by the socialist/communist Roosevelt, they have pandered to the coloreds. The Democrat Party has worked to make sure minorities have equal rights. Now they think the government should help people and tax corporations at a fair rate.
If we're lucky, Gustav will finish the job Katrina started and real estate speculators will be able to buy up properties at ten cents on a dollar.
Gustav is not the kind of guy I want to have a beer with.

[Politicalboi]

41. Yes it wouldn't make a good photo op

Unless it's birthday cake and it's only blacks that are drowning. Maybe they will save their money and cancel it all together. I mean how many people are going to show up for this shit. Their probably more upset that they won't see the famous "Bathroom". And I thought they prayed for rain on Obama's speech. Karma! Karma! Karma!

[Tutonic]

42. Bwaaaah! Saying a few prayers. I'm guessing that he's praying

that Sarah Palin is raptured between now and Sunday night.

[CK_John]

43. They are up to something. Legally they are not the candidates until voted in by the delegates unless

they have some bylaws to do so in a backroom. Lock out Ron Paul maybe, replace McCain maybe, avoid/delay FEC filings, keep the fed matching funds coming in.

I'm not sure what it is but there is a big screwing coming.

I hope some delegate goes to court and gets an injunction because McCain doesn't have the authority to recess by himself.

[Epiphany4z]

46. how the hell do you

postpone an entire convention....ehh it is McCain..it may not effect that many people...lol

[NorthCarolina]

47. Saves the embarrassment of nobody showing up for the convention

eom

[galledgoblin]

49. he should, or he should cancel it, but he/the republicans won't

too much money has changed hands already, and that's the priority for them.

[Hulk]

50. What an idiot. Scrap it, save the money...and plan for 2012.

He's already shot himself in the foot with his beauty queen from....Alaska??

[tomg]

52. I always feel conflicted when

rotten people do the right thing for the wrong reason.

[coalition_unwilling]

53. Meanwhile, "Kristallnacht on the

Plains^ is unfolding before our very eyes. (Check out Greenwald's succint round-up in "Salon.")

Postponing allows time for rounding up all the dissidents.

[atjrpsych]

54. He is so insincere and it is obvious that he is full of it!!

I think my statement says it all...Mr. I don't know how many homes I own.

[ckramer]

57. God hate GOP

Rain on them!

[radfringe]

62. the real reason if they do postpone it...

is because Gustav will get the media coverage, viewers and GOP convention would get very little

friday's announcement of gov. gigit as VP pretty much knocked obama's acceptance speech out of the headlines, by saturday the approach of Gustav knocked gov. gigit out of the headlines

[lonestarnot]

64. They don't need no stink'n CONvention, they got vote machines!

[Vinca]

65. I just heard on CNN that McBush may give his acceptance speech

from the hurricane zone. OMFG - pander to the nth degree. Let's bake a cake.

[paparush]

67. Johnny LockJaw, why don't you give up golf instead. nt

[Imagevision]

69. McCain should postpone it, it'll give Palin time to understand what a VP. does in office

very smart move from Rick Davis.

[TankLV]

70. ...because no-one wants to show up...

they left out the last part...

[Name removed]

74. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[skids]

75. And yet, Boener still wants congress reconvened RIGHT AWAY

...for the hurricane? Nah course not. For the "drill here drill now" nonsense.

[Politicub]

77. Looking like McCain won't get the N.O. drama of his dreams

What a pathetic, craven fool - hoping to make hay of the tragedy for electoral votes. And I'm so glad it's looking like New Orleans will be spared - which is great news, but even better because we'll be spared photo ops of McCain and Palin in flightsuits with blow horns.

[PATRICK]

78. Jove unspins the

great winds of destruction and photo ops, leaving in its wake the sad wreckage of the GOP Convention. That is Providence as usual cutting it pretty thin, with many thanks from all for mercy upon the innocent.