The Politics of Hurricanes

Watch you TV closely.

The Republicans are using Hurricane Gustave to their advantage and the Democrats are scrambling to come up with a response.

The cable news networks are going wall to wall with Gustave coverage and one of the prime stories is the impact of the hurricane, now in the Gulf of Mexico, on the Republican convention, which is being held several thousand miles north, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

But hurricane coverage has made it impossible for President Bush to attend the convention, as he gives the appearance of being caring and in charge. Bush's absence from the shin-dig gives McCain a graceful way of not being sen on the same stage as the unpopular Bush. Hurricane coverage makes it possible for the pols working the convention to appear caring and compassionate as they talk about conducting a minimum of politics and then turning the convention into a "service project" by raising money for the Red Cross. This is the perfect opportunity for McCain to show he is the Republican anti-Bush. Want to make bets on how long it will take him to fly down to that city once the hurricane passes?

And all the time the TV nets will be giving the Republicans all the free air time they can eat up, as they show how wonderful they really are, ceasing from their political business to care for the unfortunates in Louisiana.

In the meantime, all Barack Obama can do is talk about forming cadres of volunteers to go to Louisiana to help once the hurricane passes.

Even hurricanes are political.