GOP convention kicks off with appeal for Gustav aid
Last Updated: Monday, September 1, 2008 | 9:30 PM ET
The Associated Press
Police use pepper spray on a woman as she walks toward them with a flower during a rally at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., on Monday. (Matt Rourke/Associated Press) Republicans staged a subdued opening to their storm-shadowed national convention Monday, seeking aid for the Gulf Coast victims of Hurricane Gustav as well as support to send John McCain to the White House.
The convention's opening session at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., was abbreviated as Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast, sparing New Orleans the type of damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina almost exactly three years ago.
Hurricane Gustav made landfall Monday near Cocodrie, La., about 110 kilometres southwest of New Orleans. By 3 p.m. ET, the U.S. National Hurricane Center downgraded the storm to Category 1.
Determined to avoid a repeat of the mismanagement that characterized the government handling of Katrina, President Bush skipped his planned speech at the convention to go to disaster and relief centers in the Gulf Coast region.
McCain was in Waterville, Ohio, where he helped pack supplies to be sent to communities hit by the storm.
Both men's wives — Laura Bush and Cindy McCain — sparked cheers when they appeared before the delegates, shunning politics in favour of soliciting financial contributions to help storm victims.
"This is a time when we take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats," Cindy McCain said.
Laura Bush agreed, saying, "Our first priority for today and in the coming days is to ensure the safety and well-being of those living in the Gulf Coast region."
The Ohio delegation applauds as first lady Laura Bush takes the stage during the opening session of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., on Monday. (Jae C. Hong/Associated Press) Behind the two women was a giant screen showing the names of state-approved charities in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
New revelations about running mate
Virtually the only political business of the convention's 2½-hour session was approval of a platform that sidestepped the Iraq war, one of the key issues in the campaign between McCain and Democrat Barack Obama.
"The waging of war — and the achieving of peace — should never be micromanaged in a party platform," it says. "In dealing with present conflicts or future crises, our next president must preserve all options."
The Republican platform also calls for a constitutional amendment banning abortion, the deportation of illegal immigrants convicted of gang crimes and no new taxes.
"The last thing America needs now is tax hikes," the platform document says.
Outside the Xcel Energy Center, an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 anti-war protesters marched toward the convention, some of them smashing windows, puncturing tires and throwing bottles along the way. Police used pepper spray on the demonstrators and made at least 56 arrests.
Inside, delegates had scarcely settled into their seats when it was disclosed a lawyer had been hired to represent McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, in an investigation of her firing of the state's public safety commissioner.
There was also a disclosure of a more personal nature: Palin announced her 17-year-old, unmarried daughter, Bristol, was pregnant.
"We're proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents," she said in a statement with her husband.
While the opening day convention program was shorn of political rhetoric, aides said McCain was likely to deliver his nomination acceptance speech as scheduled on Thursday.
They also announced he had raised at least $47 million last month for the fall campaign against Obama. It was the largest monthly amount to date for the GOP candidate.
The podium schedule for the balance of the week would be determined on a day-to-day basis, the aides said.
