Of Hurricanes and Politics

Will the Republicans "dial back" their party in St. Paul, Minnesota this week? Apparently, some people think they should in the event that Hurricane Gustav produces the disaster that some think it could.... and that some even hope it will. This morning on CBS radio, "Face the Nation" host Bob Schieffer used the phrase "dial back" at least three times. Will the Republicans "dial back" their celebration? Should they "dial back" on the festivities? The less-than-subtle implication, of course, was that it would be insensitive of the GOP to show any kind of joy or happiness at their convention while people are suffering somewhere else. Did Sheiffer, or anybody else, suggest that the Democrats "dial back" their celebrations in Denver last week while Africans were starving, Burmese were being bludgeoned, Georgians were being brutalized, or Tibet still occupied? No, no, no, no and no. Should baseball teams and baseball fans "dial back" their interest in sports during Hurricane Gustav? Perhaps Bob Shieffer could ask the networks to "dial back" on their sitcoms during the impending disaster in the gulf. Perhaps. But that would be pointless. It would be stupid. It would be so.... so... so Liberal. Did the ever-so-sensitive Democrats "dial back" their joyful enthusiasm, drink less, party less, cheer less in Denver while millions of people in India are still homeless and suffering because of flooding two weeks ago? Nope. How insensitive!!! The Democrats obviously do not care about suffering in south central Asia. While Barack Obama and other Democrats spoke on and on of the great suffering they want us to believe is happening right here at home, did they "dial back" their noise makers, their party balloons or their catered parties? Noooope. The world is - and always has been - full of disasters and suffering. For others to suggest that the GOP "dial back" its convention while a hurricane rages in the Gulf of Mexico is as hypocritical as asking anybody else to not smile, not have any fun, not engage in any form of entertainment until Hurricane Gustav has blown itself out, and even then not until the mess of Gustav is cleaned up. Bob Shieffer, I'm sure, will force himself to sit in a corner all week and not smile. He may even deprive himself of food and water until the weather clears up.... everywhere.