As hurricane Gustav surged at increase speed through the Gulf of Mexico toward New Orleans, John McCain initiated an immediate change in the GOP Convention in St. Paul scheduled to begin tomorrow afternoon when the hurricane is scheduled to hit the Big Easy.

McCain is initiating “A Call to Action” at the GOP Convention to begin providing relief materials and calling for contributions in the aftermath of this potential disaster. Phone banks are being installed at the Convention center.

Meanwhile, President Bush and Vice President Cheney have canceled plans to go to the GOP Convention. President Bush will head for Texas and the Emergency Control Center in San Antonio, followed by a trip to Louisiana after the storm hits.

Although political conventions are meant to be a time of celebration, John McCain said this is no time for celebration. He has chartered a plane for delegates from the Gulf Coast where the storm is predicted to hit, to transport them back to their homes from St. Paul.

Today McCain was at an emergency control center in Mississippi as events were developing and he and the GOP were making a major change to convention plans in tone and substance.

The GOP will now obviously not have an extravaganza the likes of the Democratic Convention, although, as I understand it, that was not what it was going to be in the first place.

Obama said he will tap his huge political network of donors and volunteers to help US vicitims of Hurricane Gustav after it comes inland.

Obama said he might visit storm-damaged areas once “things have settled down.”  . . .  developing