What in the world? A stall for media

Hurricane Gustav threw members of the foreign media for a loop this week, perhaps more so than members of the U.S. media. "They had nothing to write about," since their readers aren't particularly interested in Gulf Coast weather reports, said Keith Peterson, media relations officer for the U.S. State Department. About 30 journalists are working out of the government's Foreign Press Center at the convention.

Hurricane Gustav also is disrupting a hotly contested Republican primary in Louisiana.

GOP candidates hoping to succeed retiring Rep. Jim McCrery, R-La., have suspended their campaigns -- and their primary, set for Sept. 6, could be postponed because of the storm. State officials are drafting contingency plans for delaying the election a week or more if necessary.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty, once on the short list of likely Republican vice-presidential candidates, summed up the disadvantage that Republicans face at a breakfast Monday with the Ohio Republican delegation.

"We're running against opponents who are creating the illusion that they're giving away free stuff," he said, to laughter. "And it's hard to run against opponents who say they're giving away free stuff."

Republicans, he said, talk about thrift, personal responsibility, discipline in the financial markets. "The other side says, 'you've got worries and anxieties? We'll just give you some free stuff,' " he said. "But you know it's not free."

Some partisan tones did emerge as leading Republicans fielded questions about the ability of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to take over as president should John McCain, 72, be elected and die in office. At a news conference at the convention center, Republicans raised doubts about the experience and judgment of Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee.

An ad evoking Hurricane Katrina, high gas prices and the foreclosure crisis will air this week in more than 5,000 St. Paul hotel rooms occupied by Republican delegates.

The ad critical of Republicans opens with the lyrics, "Thanks for the memories... " and then shows a flooded car and submerged sign reading, "Welcome to New Orleans."

"We're going into the lion's den to remind folks about the last eight years of catastrophic conservative failures," said Toby Chaudhuri, communications director for Campaign for America's Future, which produced the TV spot. The ad will play in 365,000 hotel rooms nationwide.

It ends with the pronouncement, "We'll take it from here," and a showcase of optimistic imagery: a factory worker, a doctor with a toddler and firefighters. It can be viewed at caf.wsm.ga3.org/tv-ad.html.