Sunday afternoon, RNC leadership announced that Senator McCain was scaling back Monday’s session to simply the “must do” business of the Convention. This is the right thing to do, and fits with his character, but it does mean the apparent cancellation of Congressman Tom Cole’s Monday speech (unless it gets rescheduled to later in the week).
Delegates don’t seem to be that shaken up about the scheduling changes. Most headed over to an all-delegate party at the Minneapolis Convention Center tonight. I think everyone understands it’s the right thing to do, and I think they’re still hopeful that Gustav will not cause the devastation of Katrina, though no one can say what will happen.
Nothing has been communicated to individual delegates, but there was speculation in the media tonight that Hurricane Gustav could “delay” the RNC, whatever that means. Perhaps organizers would compact events into two or three days rather than four. Who knows. But there is certainly potential for upheaval in the lives of delegates, though nothing like that facing those residing on the Gulf coast tonight.