Bush, Cheney Skip RNC Appearance

President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney will not be speaking at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul on Monday. Because the GOP has elected to conduct only mandatory business affairs, these scheduled speeches have been canceled. Cheney has an excuse; he is headed out of the country for four days.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution Political Insider jokes: "I’m sure McCain really didn’t want Bush to appear but couldn’t be so unpatriotic as to not invite the president. Now McCain gets to have less Bush at the convention, without seeming rude."

At least one of the convention parties is being turned into a fundraiser for the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief fund. Friends of New Orleans held a fundraiser in Denver and is planning another in Minneapolis-St. Paul. And the McCain campaign has offered to fly delegates from affected states back home. In addition, Republicans are also considering pulling negative campaign ads this week.

At 10 pm Central, NOAA had downgraded Hurricane Gustav to a Category 3 (maximum sustained winds of 115 mph) but noted that "a little strengthening is possible prior to landfall."

Hurricane Gustav is expected to make landfall near Port Fourchon, LA (GoogleMap), about 80 miles south of New Orleans. Hurricane-force winds will stretch 100 miles; the hurricane is projected to track on a northwest path. Winds and water surges are more damaging to areas east of the hurricane; 25 foot waves are projected but officials in the west side of New Orleans are hopeful levees will hold.

McCain's Statement

There is very little doubt that we have to go from a party event to the call to the nation for action -- action to help our fellow citizens in this time of tragedy and disaster, action in the form of volunteering, donations, reaching out our hands and our hearts and our wallets to the people who are under such great threat from this great natural disaster... I pledge that tomorrow night, and if necessary, throughout our convention… to act as Americans, not Republicans, because America needs us now no matter whether we are Republican or Democrat.

Democrats Laugh At Gustav
When are politicians going to "get" that in an age of video-enabled cell phones ... NOTHING said is public is private? Watch this YouTube clip of former DNC Chairman Don Fowler laughing about Hurricane Gustav hitting New Orleans during the RNC; he is reportedly talking to Congressman John Spratt of SC (Spratt does not appear on camera). Watch out for a federal law making a recording like this illegal (if it's not already illegal due to "peeping tom" ordinances).

Fowler has apologized. (tip)

Impact On Gasoline Prices
Bloomberg reports that 75% of the refiners in the area have been shut down and that the Gulf "region that accounts for 26 percent of U.S. oil production and 14 percent of its natural-gas output." Eight refineries have announced that they are closing; another five announced reduced capacity. Almost all offshore oil production and most of offshore natural gas production has been turned off.

Nymex electronic trading opened early. Although Monday is a holiday in the US, other exchanges around the world are open and will drive the price.

Modified Government Response
Local, state and federal government officials are responding differently this time around. For example, this time evacuees are being allowed to bring their pets. And from Salon:

Hurricane Katrina's aftermath reflected horribly on the federal and local governments, and politicians cannot afford to repeat that. The mandatory evacuation protocols for Gustav have been thorough and swift-moving, whereas the protocols for Katrina seemed improvised and last-minute. Residents wonder whether by being vigilant -- or hysterical, depending on one's perspective -- officials are putting themselves in a position to be able to say "I told you so" if anyone stays behind. This time around, Mayor Nagin and all disaster-response spokespeople are making it clear that if you stay behind and are stranded on your roof waving a flag made from a bedsheet, it is you who will be held accountable, not them.

For current news, see NOAA, NOLA.com and WWLTV.COM.