Hurricane Gustav threatens New Orleans, Republican Convention

Three years to the day after Hurricane Katrina hit, Republicans are preparing in advance as Hurricane Gustav threatens to strike not only New Orleans but faraway Minneapolis as well.

After a failed emergency response in 2005, Republicans are trying not to be hit by the political windstorm that struck when the Bush Administration was caught off guard with Katrina.

Sensitive to the critique that he ignored Americans in need during Katrina, President Bush and Vice President Cheney will not go to Minneapolis to speak at the Republican National Convention, the White House announced on Sunday. It's a move that denies the GOP base an opportunity to see Bush at his last party convention as president, but it also protects McCain from being too closely associated with the unpopular president.

Meanwhile, the McCain campaign has suggested that the first day of the convention may be suspended or curtailed to avoid the appearance of partying while a major disaster hits an American city for the second time in the Bush Administration.

Although some right-wing evangelical fanatics had prayed for rain to hit Denver during Barack Obama's outdoor nomination speech last Thursday, it appears that rain will actually hurt the Republicans even more this week and could remind voters of one of George Bush's worst moments in his presidency.

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin Gustav the "mother of all storms" and issued a mandatory evacuation order for residents to "get out of town." Nagin warned citizens that they could be arrested if found off their own property and told them: "This is not the one to play with."