海角大神

St. Paul, Minn. 鈥� The Republican National Convention will scrap the marquee events of its opening night Monday out of respect for possible victims of a major hurricane expected to strike the Gulf Coast, the convention鈥檚 chairman said Sunday.

鈥淭he convention is going to be handled on a day to day basis,鈥� House minority leader John Boehner announced at a lunch for news media here hosted by 海角大神.

He raised the possibility of other cancellations at the four-day gathering, including the prospect that Sen. John McCain, the presumed Republican presidential nominee, would skip it altogether to keep the focus on the Gulf Coast as hurricane Gustav closes in.

鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of hard to talk about the message of the convention or the message of the fall campaign given what we鈥檙e dealing with,鈥� said Representative Boehner, an Ohio Republican. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all hopeful that Senator McCain will be here, will be able to address the delegates and the nation on Thursday night. But that call will be made later in the week.鈥�

The announcement 鈥� with more details expected later Sunday 鈥� came just hours after the White House said that President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney had canceled speaking roles here Monday. The news was an early sign of just how much of a distraction the hurricane could become in a week meant to rally Republicans for a tough fight for the White House in November.

Boehner said that Republican leaders would ask delegates, voters, and other supporters to turn their attention to raising money and offering other relief to the Gulf Coast in the hurricane鈥檚 aftermath.

He said Republicans would still take up some housekeeping business Monday afternoon 鈥� such as the adoption of a platform and rules 颅鈥� but that the main speeches and other celebratory portions of the program would be set aside.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a disaster about to hit our country 鈥� our first concern ought to be with the people who are in the path of this potential disaster,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e can deal with our convention and deal with our message in a way that puts them first鈥�. Everyone will have to modify their plans in terms of how we deliver our message about John McCain.鈥�

In addition to its obvious capacity for human devastation, the hurricane injects a host of political complications into to what was supposed to be a week of celebrations and party-building. The sight of thousands of people fleeing New Orleans three years after hurricane Katrina is a searing reminder of what critics have said was the Bush administration鈥檚 failed response to the 2005 disaster.

By toning down the festivities this week, McCain, who has denounced the Katrina response, can further define himself against Bush as a leader who puts people before politics. But if the hurricane turns into a replay of Katrina, it could refocus national attention on the Republican administration鈥檚 shortcomings in 2005.

Boehner said that by driving up oil and gas prices, the hurricane would underscore the strengths of McCain鈥檚 so-called 鈥渁ll of the above鈥� energy plan, with its mix of new offshore drilling, nuclear power, and market incentives for alternative fuels. 鈥淭he energy issue is not going to go away,鈥� he said.

Addressing concerns about McCain鈥檚 vice presidential pick, Boehner said that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin had more executive experience than Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, and his running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden, combined.

Ms. Palin was elected Alaska鈥檚 governor in 2006 after two terms as a small-town mayor. Senator Obama was an Illinois state lawmaker for eight years before his election to the US Senate in 2004; Biden, of Delaware, was first elected to the Senate in 1972.

Boehner dismissed questions about Palin鈥檚 foreign-policy credentials and fitness for the White House as 鈥渆litist.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 this elitist attitude that 鈥� if you鈥檙e not a Washington insider, you can鈥檛 possibly know anything about what it鈥檚 going to take to be president,鈥� he said.

He compared the readiness to lead the United States to the first day of anybody鈥檚 new job.

鈥淲hen you got it, you thought, 鈥�... How am I going to do this?鈥� 鈥� he said. 鈥淣obody鈥檚 qualified on the first day. I don鈥檛 care whether it鈥檚 Barack Obama or whether it鈥檚 John McCain sitting in the White House.

鈥淏ut like all of us, we grow into our new roles,鈥� he added. 鈥淎nd I have no doubts that John McCain is going to grow into his new role as the president of the United States very well. I have no doubts that Sarah Palin can grow in her role as vice president and be entirely capable of being president.鈥�

Asked about the significance of a party now led by its 鈥渕avericks,鈥� Boehner said the 鈥渞eformist streak鈥� is an appropriate response to the party鈥檚 recent political troubles.

鈥淵ou know, they threw us out and frankly, we should have lost,鈥� he said, alluding to the 2006 elections that cost Republicans control of Congress. 鈥淎nd the only way we can get back is if we earn our way back. And that means showing people we鈥檝e learned our lessons.鈥�