Throw McCain in that Louisiana Briar Patch

The TV networks are talking about the great disruption that Hurricane Gustav has caused the poor Republicans.

Oh please! This is great news for McCain. His main dilemma this week was how to distance himself from the Bush administration given that Bush and Cheney were going to be featured speakers at the convention. Problem solved, thanks to Gustav.

The scene of McCain down in Mississippi, pronouncing that he is putting country before party by cancelling the first day of the convention so he could lend support to the volunteers and first providers -- well, that certainly does fit the Country First theme. He's a virtual Rudy Giuliani, down there. Oh, and it shows his spiritual side: "We're monitoring it from day to day and I'm saying a few prayers," he told Fox News. If he's lucky, the first three days of the convention will be cancelled and he'll get to deliver the acceptance speech on a screen from Louisiana. He's a bad podium speaker, and a good TV talker.

The only scenario I can think of that would turn this into a negative would be if Gustav causes a major oil spill as it blasts past the oil and gas rigs. Otherwise, Gustav will be very good for McCain.