Key test for McCain, Obama

2008-09-01 12:08

Minnesota - Hurricane Gustav barrelling towards New Orleans on Sunday gave presidential foes John McCain and Barack Obama their first real chance to show they can lead the nation at a time of crisis.

As nearly two million people fled Louisiana, the two men vying to be the next commander-in-chief vowed not to use the hurricane for political gain, and called for partisan politics to be set aside.

"Now is the time to rise above party politics," Republican White House hopeful McCain said. "Now is the time for action."

He also urged his party members to "take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats".

McCain sought to show he could rise to the challenge by suspending most of the first day of the Republican convention, where he is to be officially crowned the Republican candidate for president later in the week.

A galaxy of Republican heavyweights had been lined up to energise Monday night's opening and dominate primetime television slots, as the party duels with its Democratic foes for the November 4 elections.

But President George W Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney cancelled their appearances, and officials said they would cut back activities and open only for about two hours for procedural business.

Memories of Katrina

The country is still traumatised by the catastrophe unleashed on the Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which was exacerbated by the Bush administration's botched aid operation.

And this time, determined the Republicans should not be found lacking, McCain made an unscheduled detour to inspect storm preparations in Jackson, Mississippi, and called on Americans to reach out to all those who need help.

His vice presidential pick, Sarah Palin, a political unknown until she was selected on Friday, told a rally in Missouri that the storm reminded everyone what government was for.

"Moments like this pull our political debate back to fundamentals," said the 44-year-old Alaska governor, and mother of five.

"This serves as a reminder that there are consequences when government fails to make very good on its most basic obligations.

"Every day the decisions of government can make life better for people or worse."

Democratic rival Obama vowed to mobilise his vast grassroots network to send money and volunteers to the region if needed once Gustav, packing winds of about 185km/h, makes landfall on Monday.

"We can activate an e-mail list of a couple million people who want to give back," Obama told reporters after attending church in Lima, Ohio.

"I think we can get tons of volunteers to travel down there if it becomes necessary."

All eyes will be on the levees in New Orleans, which collapsed in 2005 crushed by a wall of mud and water, swamping some 80 percent of the city.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, once considered a possible running mate for McCain, said on Sunday he believed the levees would withstand the onslaught this time.

"If they are 100% accurate, they are saying the levees will barely hold or barely be overtopped," he told a press conference, citing predictions from weather forecasters and engineering experts.

But he warned the surge could be huge and it was difficult to predict what would happen.

McCain said this time the whole area was better prepared then in 2005, when about 1 800 people were killed along the coast, and tens of thousands were left stranded in New Orleans cut off for days from food and water.

In a further sign that Republicans want to shore up their stature at home, Bush also announced on Sunday he would not attend the convention.

'A serious situation'

Instead he was to tour the emergency operations centre in Austin, Texas, on Monday after consultations in Washington with officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"Several states including Missouri, Texas and New Mexico are preparing to and have accepted a lot of evacuees," Bush said.

"There are millions of meals and millions of litres of water pre-staged as well as a lot of blankets and cots."

Obama and his running mate Joseph Biden expressed concern about the hurricane on Saturday and urged people to evacuate New Orleans.

"Obviously this is a very serious situation," Obama said in Columbus, Ohio, he said, adding it was important for the public to evacuate. "People have to follow the instructions," he said.

- AFP