Hurricane Gustav, President Bush and the GOP
We're not quite sure what to make of the decision by John McCain to scale back the Republican National Convention because of Hurricane Gustav, which slammed into the shores of Louisiana on Monday, the opening day of the convention.
"We must redirect our efforts from the really celebratory event of the nomination of president and vice president of our party to acting as all Americans," McCain said Sunday. "I pledge... to act as Americans, not Republicans, because America needs us now."
Clearly, Gustav was a frightening storm, particularly in the wake of the devastation wrought three years ago to the same area by Hurricane Katrina. It had the power, even before it landed, to force the evacuation of almost two million people.
With that kind of impact on so many people's lives, McCain and Republicans needed to show sensitivity. Without a doubt, it made sense to return delegates from the affected states to their homes. And it is understandable that President Bush would be called away from the convention to deal with the hurricane.
But first, since when is a national party convention primarily a party? Isn't its purpose fairly high-minded - to nominate the top party candidates and to tell the country how Republicans plan to make our lives better?
Second, when is a Republican not an American and vice versa? If politicking's not good for America, why do the two parties engage in it at all?
Third, does just the threat of a hurricane these days mean the country is supposed to enter into some sort of period of sober reflection? Did someone forget to tell Major League Baseball and the NFL and the NCAA to cancel their schedules? We haven't heard of any local movie houses closing out of respect to Gustav. All the suburban festivals went ahead as scheduled over the Labor Day weekend.
No one can question that the Republican National Convention needed to adjust for Gustav, that Republicans need to display respect, empathy and support for those affected by it, that the White House needs to give priority to its response.
But really.
How much of this is a response to Gustav and how much is a response to the Bush Administration's widely apparent and abject failure in handling Katrina three years ago?
Which brings us, finally, to George Bush and the albatross he is for Republicans.
Before Gustav interrupted, President Bush had been scheduled to speak on opening night of the convention, but make no mistake: The party wants him to play as little a part as possible.
Not since 1968 when Lyndon Johnson was so unpopular that the Democratic National Convention took place without him has a sitting president been so generally unwelcome at his own party's convention.
Today, the economy is struggling hard, and the nation is deeply divided over the war in Iraq. Given that climate, it's somewhat amazing that the race for the White House is still competitive.
John McCain has a fighting chance to win.
If he does, it will be despite George Bush, not because of him.