McCain: I may postpone convention (Politico)

[npincus]

Anyone familiar w/the logistics of organizing a national convention, and realistically, is it even possible to "postpone" one? In terms of people's availablity, hotel availibility, etc. etc. etc. How is it possible?


http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/13007.html

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 Sunday. “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.”

Officials at the convention, which is to open Monday in St. Paul, Minn., tell Politico they are figuring out how to handle the formal business of nominating McCain even if some delegations are not able to attend.

The officials also are preparing program contingencies in case speakers such as Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal have to cancel.

Maria Cino, the convention’s president and chief executive officer, said in a statement to Politico: "Like all Americans, our prayers are with those who will be affected by Hurricane Gustav. We continue to closely monitor the movement of the storm and are considering necessary contingencies.

“We are in communication with the Gulf state governors to make sure the convention is taking all the appropriate steps as the hurricane progresses. The safety of our affected delegations is our first priority, and preparing for Gustav comes before anything else."

On Friday, Cino vowed on C-SPAN, in a quote picked up by the Drudge Report, that the gavel will come down.

President Bush, first lady Laura Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney are scheduled to speak Monday. The government’s botched response to Hurricane Katrina still stings, and Republicans said they doubt the president would come to a political bash if New Orleans were facing a threat.

[Pab Sungenis]

1. Just a couple of days ago, they were saying no postponement.

Now they're backtracking.

What's changed since then? Only one thing: McCain's choice of running mate.

Translation: Shit. I fucked up. I need time for her to bow out and be replaced before it turns into another Eagleton situation.

[Epiphany4z]

2. hurricane was not

a cat 5 then.

[Pab Sungenis]

8. But they were predicting it could be.

The projections called for anywhere from cat 3 to cat 5.

[FVZA_Colonel]

3. They're getting ready to exploit it for their advantage.

They can't let it look like Republicans don't care, like they proved in the aftermath of Katrina.

[davidwparker]

4. "“It just wouldn't be appropriate to have a festive occasion" - Why not? You

and * had cake while New Orleans was swimming for their lives the last time. I say you go for it. Have it anyway.

:sarcasm:

[Skidmore]

14. This R convention was going to be "festive?" I thought they

were having trouble getting Rs to attend.

[snacker]

5. Wouldn't that be almost impossible at this point?

Everything is in place with hotels, venues, and airline flights, etc. reserved and ready to go. I can't imagine that too many people and businesses would be happy with that decision. I can understand why he would say that, but really, would it be feasible at this point?

[npincus]

7. it would seem impossible to do (?)

[Dark]

6. Will he get an extra week to receive donations?

If so, it shouldn't be allowed.

[pdxmom]

9. He's saying this because they aren't going to postpone anything. Now, though,

he can say, well, I wanted to postpone it, but the logistics just wouldn't make that happen. So sorry.

[DaveJ]

10. Just more evidence that he's out of touch

People's lives are threatened by Gustav, certainly, but people's lives are equally threatened by what a postponement would pose.

He's out of touch with reality. As you said there are hotel reservations which put food on the table for all the families of the employees, and he's carelessly willing to forfeit their concerns in exchange for his prestige!

Why doesn't HE postpone the convention, just personally not attend? Certainly the convention can go on while he attends to more important matters. (Come to think of it, I think he'd like to find an excuse not to attend.)

His record shows he is wreckless. As in, flawed snap judgments that harm other people. He doesn't understand reality, he's willing to amplify disasters in the same fashion Bush amplified disasters, all for the sake of his ego and prestige.

[underpants]

11. He is really not taking the shockingly bad VP pick very well

[Motown_Johnny]

12. I strongly suggest they postpone until mid november

[helderheid]

13. Why take heed this time, Mr. McCain?

[GoesTo11]

15. Bush plays serious and concerned well

They'll talk about God and faith and getting things done. They are constitutionally (no pun intended) incapable of laying off the politicization of anything even human disasters. Look at how much Bush played us after 9/11.

[Blondiegrrl]

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

Festive occasion? Where is that birthday cake photo?

All McGramps cares about is that the hurricane might steal his spotlight.