DEVELOPING: The White House says it is unlikely that President Bush will attend the Republican National Convention on Monday as scheduled because of concerns about Hurricane Gustav, the White House said Sunday. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino says it is unlikely right now that Bush will go to Minnesota on Monday. She says alternate plans are being prepared.
The convention schedule has the president set to speak late Monday night in St. Paul, Minn. on opening night. But those plans appear to be on hold because of the monster storm that could make landfall along the Gulf Coast as early as Monday.
In addition, GOP presidential candidate John McCain, along with his wife, Cindy, and running mate Sarah Palin intended to travel to Jackson, Miss., on Sunday at the invitation of Gov. Haley Barbour because of concerns about people threatened by the storm. They were to receive a briefing at the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency — a permanent operations center monitoring hurricane response.
The White House was likely to confirm Bush’s plans later Sunday. Bush planned to get an update on preparations for the storm, which could make landfall along the Gulf Coast as early as Monday, from disaster relief officials and state and local representatives late Sunday morning. After visiting the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s operations center, the president was expected to make a statement about the situation.
Bush’s alternative plans could include possible travel to the Gulf Coast and perhaps speaking to the convention by video.
Poster Comment:
Gulf Republicans Skip Convention, McCain on Edge as Gustav Nears
ST. PAUL, Minn. — With the Republican National Convention set to open Monday in St. Paul, the threat posed by Hurricane Gustav has already prevented prominent GOP officials from attending and has John McCain on edge about whether the event should be postponed.
Convention planners insist the week-long celebration is going forward as scheduled.
But the presumptive GOP nominee told FOX News, in an interview to air on “FOX News Sunday,” that holding the convention while Gulf Coast residents suffer would be insensitive.
“I’m afraid … that we may have to look at that situation and we’ll try to monitor it,” McCain said. “But you know 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. So we’re monitoring it from day to day and I’m saying a few prayers too.”
McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin will travel to Mississippi on Sunday to check on people getting prepared for Gustav. The two are expected to receive a briefing at the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.
The possibility of putting the convention on pause has been on the minds of party leaders over the past several days, as residents of New Orleans and other cities along the Gulf Coast begin to evacuate, girding for what some fear could be a storm that carries the impact of Hurricane Katrina three years ago. Gustav strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane Saturday. The storm crossed Cuba’s western tip before moving into the Gulf of Mexico and could reach the U.S. by late Monday or early Tuesday.
The convention has already been impacted by the approaching storm.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, set to speak Monday, has canceled his plans to attend, a spokeswoman told FOXNews.com.
> Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has said he would skip the convention if the storm threatens the coast.
MyFox Gulf Coast reported Saturday that Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour has canceled plans to attend due to the storm.
And Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who is scheduled to speak Thursday, has so far postponed his trip to St. Paul because of the storm. Spokeswoman Erin Isaac told FOXNews.com Crist intended to travel to Minnesota Saturday but will probably wait until Tuesday. She said he is “monitoring” the storm and will adjust his schedule accordingly.
Up in the air is whether President Bush, set to address the convention Monday, will cancel his plans.
One of the reasons Bush was so criticized after Katrina was that he stuck to a schedule that took him from his ranch in Texas on a two-day trip to Arizona and California.