davidvoegtle.net

Via the Wall Street Journal:

Barack Obama said a storm like Hurricane Gustav raises “bipartisan concerns” and it’s “fine” that John McCain visited Mississippi’s emergency operations center Sunday morning.

But he reiterated his worry that the security required for either presidential candidate could divert local law enforcement and other personnel from storm preparations. For that reason, Obama, the Democratic nominee, has said he has no immediate plan to travel to the area.

I’m trying to think of a good reason for McCain and Palin to visit the Gulf Coast before Gustav makes landfall that’s not political, but I can’t come up with one. Is his presence necessary? He doesn’t have any direct authority as a candidate to do anything, so other than photo-ops with Republican governors, why is he there?

Obama, on the other hand, is priming his donor network to donate money and supplies as requested (via Forbes):

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama said Sunday he will tap his huge political network of donors and volunteers to help U.S. victims of Hurricane Gustav after it comes inland.

“I think we can get tons of volunteers to travel down there, if it becomes necessary,” Obama told reporters after attending St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Lima, Ohio.

Obama is staying out of the way, but still expressing interest, concern, and planning to offer assistance when it becomes necessary. He’s not, however, diverting resources from first responders or tying up elected officials in the pomp of a presidential election campaign. Any person under Secret Service protection surely requires the input and cooperation of, at least, local and state police where he or she visits.

Admittedly, I am a partisan. Perhaps there’s a perfectly innocent explanation which requires McCain’s presence in the region. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?