Monday a.m. – Gustav, Georgia and Russia, Dispatch RNC Coverage, Payday Lenders, China quake
Filed under: Barack Obama, Hurricane Gustav, Joe Biden, Presidential Campaign 2008, Republican National Convention, Russian/Georgian Conflict, State Governments
Latest Gustav News from The Times Picayune
Ohio News
- Payday lenders file more signatures than needed – Columbus Dispatch
- Ohio GOP’s top concern is Bush – Columbus Dispatch
- Storm cuts convention’s opening day – Columbus Dispatch
- Editorial: College Savings Plan – Columbus Dispatch
- Payday law in effect, but effect on hold – Cleveland Plain Dealer
- Obama-Biden in Toledo, message draws cheers – Cleveland Plain Dealer
- Editorial: McCain takes a gamble on Palin – Cleveland Plain Dealer
- Obama vows to rebuild America’s middle class – Toledo Blade
Nation – World
- EU emergency summit on Russian ties – BBC
- China quake kills 38, damages 250,000 homes – Reuters
- Historic failure on state budget – San Jose Mercury News
- GOP plans unsettled – New York Times
Hurricane Gustav News Updates – The Only Three Links You Need
National Hurricane Center – Latest Public Advisory
NOLA.com – Complete Coverage by The Times Picayune
Click for Latest New Orleans/Baton Rouge Radar Image
What’s Worse than Gustav? CNN’s Rick Sanchez Anchoring Coverage
Kudos to MSNBC
MSNBC, becoming more known for prison documentaries and visual talk radio, is actually covering the news today. I’ve been looking in from time to time today on their hurricane coverage. They appear to be the only network who had a reporter in Cuba to cover the hurricane. The devastation and displacement of people is horrendous. I hope decision-makers in the Gulf states and Washington have seen some of this coverage.
Brickbats to CNN
Guys this story is too serious for Rick Sanchez. Sanchez proves every time he’s on the air that he’s the Ted Baxter of today. One of his trademark moves is to get a guest talking and then loudly interrupt them about 15 seconds into what they’re saying. He just did it to Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Russel L. Honore, the Ragin’ Cajun. Honore, I believe, is calling in an airstrike on Sanchez’s position. As I write this, Sanchez is checking in on Facebook to let us know what “Mark” from Somewhere in cyberspace thinks about everything. Rick, there appears to be enough news today. Put down the Facebook. America doesn’t give a shit what “Mark” thinks.
See Also
Would GOP Cancel Convention for Gustav?
Filed under: Presidential Campaign 2008, Republican National Convention
Irony of Ironies – Hurricane Could Hit NOLA on First Day of Republican National Convention
The Washington Post and others are reporting tonight that Republican leaders both in and out of the White House are struggling with how to manage the potential of a Cat 3 hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast while President George W. Bush is scheduled to speak at the Republican National Convention on Monday.
Some are even suggesting postponing the festivities in Minneapolis. That ain’t gonna happen. What the Republicans have gotten in Gustav is the opportunity to jettison the least popular President in modern times from the convention schedule.
Seven out of ten Americans believe Bush is doing a bad job. Eight out of ten Americans believe the country is on the wrong track. This ironic twist of fate – a hurricane during a Republican national gathering – will give Republican leaders the chance to chase the Head Elephant from the room.
The bullshit being floated tonight – that they’ll actually put the convention off is the cynical Republican spin-machine in motion. Awww, the poor pachyderms. Life is so unfair. The Democrats enjoyed beautiful days in Denver capped by perfect weather for Sen. Barack Obama’s eloquent acceptance speech.
They’re not posponing the convention! There are too many moving parts, too many ordinary people taking time off of work and paying their way to Minnesota. This evening’s news is all about setting things up to dump Bush.
Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said it best this evening to the Washington Post:
Former White House spokesman Scott McClellan, who said in a recent book that Hurricane Katrina left “an indelible stain” on the Bush presidency, said Bush should be making plans to cancel his speech.
“If it’s a major hurricane, I think that they certainly need to show they learned lessons from three years ago, both from a policy and perception standpoint,” McClellan said.
He also suggested that McCain could benefit politically from such a scenario: It would allow Bush to mount an effective GOP response to a disaster, while removing the unpopular president from the convention roster. “It could be a two-fer,” McClellan said.
