The Sunshine Empire

Hurricane Gustav is coming ashore in Louisiana.  I only know this because there are several hundred people with cameras and rain slickers standing in driving wind and rain on Fox and CNN.  I accidentally passed by Fox & Friends, the only television show available in the seventh layer of hell, and Gerlado Rivera unfortunately did not blow away while on live camera.  They also had Steve Doocey’s son on with John Voight twittering from the RNC.  Doocey’s son is a tool, but I wonder if his dad picks up the heavy prissy lisp on his boy?

They were set up there originally with the idea I’m sure to talk about the Republican National Convention and what would have been the opening day today.  I think my political leanings are clear, but I have to give the Republican Party credit in this moment.  In a ever tightening race, they were relying on their opportunity to top the show that the Democrats had put on last week.  The race had been thrown on it’s head with the pick of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, and they were hoping to introduce this woman only known to the most obsessed of political junkies.  With the storm looking as bad as Katrina and bearing down on the gulf coast, they decided to essentially cancel the first night of their convention and I think they deserve credit for handling the situation with class.  I think if they realize any benefit from this action, and plans to turn the event into a call to action for all Americans to give and help those affected, they deserve it.

Yet there are conflicting opinions of whether this will help or hurt the party.  As much as Democrats were upset with the first night of the DNC not having enough red meat about McCain/Bush, the Republicans can only win if they continue to destroy the image of Barack Obama with the American people.  They will have one less day of that to work with, and ever limiting time with the Federal matching funds limits coming into play after the convention for the GOP.  They miss also one more day to push the biography of Sarah Palin to bring her more into the consciousness of the nation.  But if they are show to be giving up their party for the good of all Americans, this could reinforce McCain’s “Country First” theme and be a benefit long term.  Taking aside the horrific conditions currently and post storm on the gulf coast, it will be interesting to see how this effects the political dynamic of the race.

Another question will be if this further contributes to the permanent de-population of New Orleans.  The crescent city is much lower than it’s pre-Katrina population, and many are saying that after this they are not coming back.  This is a sad fate for such a historic and wonderful American city.  I was fortunate to visit New Orleans once in my life, and I always said I would get back.  I just hope there is something to go back to.