Pat Dollard | Young Americans

All tracking models of this thing suggest it could get pretty freaking nasty and this has RNC Convention planners, the McCain Camp, and others considering possibly delaying the convention…

This from Fox News:

DENVER — Mindful of the pitfalls of hosting cocktail parties while Gulf Coast residents are being evacuated, John McCain’s campaign suggested Thursday that Republicans could postpone their upcoming national convention in St. Paul if Tropical Storm Gustav makes landfall over the weekend.

Accu-Weather storm trackers say nothing is impeding Gustav from turning into a hurricane before it makes landfall in the United States. Maximum sustained winds could reach 111 miles per hour.

“The storm poses a serious threat to lives and property next week along the Gulf Coast. All interests from the Florida Panhandle to South Texas should closely monitor the storm, prepare an emergency plan and stock up on supplies,” the weather agency wrote in a statement early Thursday afternoon.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has already said he would skip the convention, scheduled to start Monday and last through Thursday, if a hurricane barrels down on New Orleans and the Gulf Coast just days after the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said delaying the start time is a possibility.

“Senator McCain has always been sensitive to national crises — in the 2000 race, he postponed his announcement because of the situation in the Balkans, and we are monitoring the situation very closely,” Bounds said.

Spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker said the campaign has “contingency plans in place.”

Karl Rove, a former adviser to President Bush, said the big question is whether Bush stays in Washington, D.C., or travels to St. Paul to speak.

“He’s the one individual speaking Monday night who might actually have some responsibility with regard to this,” he said.

The Bush administration came under fire for appearing slow to react when Katrina struck New Orleans three years ago. Democratic speakers have reprised that criticism during their national convention in Denver, where so far no serious disruptions have occurred.

“The Republicans can’t seem to get a break when it comes to August and when it comes to the weather,” said Rove, a FOX News analyst. “I know this is being thought a lot about in Washington and at the White House and discussed and I suspect they will monitor it carefully and figure out what to do.”

White House press secretary Dana Perino said Bush is receiving “regular updates,” while David Paulison, the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is already in Louisiana.

She said it’s “premature” to say whether the storm will affect Bush’s speaking plans Monday in Minnesota. But she left open the possibility that Gustav could rain on the Republicans’ plans.

“Obviously a category three or four storm has huge significance no matter where it hits,” she said.

A Republican convention spokeswoman said planners are “moving forward with the convention,” but are monitoring Gustav’s course.