Bush to Skip RNC for Gustav Trip

But blackouts and shortages await returning evacuees

(NEWSER) - All Hurricane Gustav evacuees are being allowed back into New Orleans after Mayor Ray Nagin abandoned a more drawn-out reentry plan, the Washington Post reports. Those returning had trouble locating supplies, and officials warned power outages would add to difficulties. "We'd like to say welcome back, but it's not the way we'd like to do it," one local official said. More»

Assuming Palin's shadow doesn't obscure everything, that is

(NEWSER) - With the Republicans set to turn on all the lights at their convention tonight, Martin Kady II of Politico runs down five things to watch for:

• Palin’s shadow: “The theme of tonight’s convention is ‘service,’” Kady notes, “and the trick for the GOP is to focus voters’ attention on the question ‘Who is John McCain?’ when everyone is still asking, ‘Who is Sarah Palin?’”

McCain appears presidential; Repubs, compassionate

(NEWSER) - For Republicans, the challenge of Hurricane Gustav's disruption of the party convention is to use it to their advantage without looking like political opportunists, writes Susan Page in USA Today. The cancellation of today's events offers risks and rewards—on the one hand, the loss of an evening of prime-time television; on the other, the chance to position McCain as presidential and the party as compassionate. More»

Hurricane-force winds to strike coastal regions tonight

(NEWSER) - Hurricane Gustav roared through the Gulf of Mexico today and is expected to strike west of New Orleans tomorrow at around noon, Reuters reports. But forecasters expect it to simmer down to a category 3 storm with 125-mph winds and say hurricane-force winds will likely strike the coast tonight. "This is still a very dangerous storm," Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said today. "It's not too late to evacuate." More»

But GOP eyes Gustav as opportunity for Katrina redemption

(NEWSER) - As Hurricane Gustav bore down on the Gulf Coast today, John McCain announced a drastically curtailed schedule for the opening day of the convention that will anoint him his party's presidential nominee, CNN reports. But as organizers stripped a grandiose event down to the bare minimum, Politico reports that Republicans are looking for a silver lining in Gustav's ominous clouds—Katrina redemption. More»