[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/09/01/art.lauracindy0901.ap.jpg caption="Mrs. McCain and first lady Laura Bush addressed the Republican convention Monday."]
(CNN) - First Lady Laura Bush and Cindy McCain addressed the Republican National Convention Monday evening, delivering abbreviated remarks due to Hurricane Gustav.
Watch: "We are all Americans," says Mrs. Bush
George and I were planning to come to enjoy this convention to have a really good time," Laura Bush said. "And we would have been here tonight speaking, but, of course as we all know, events on the Gulf Coast region have changed the focus of our attention. And our first priority now, today, is to ensure the safety and the well-being of those living in the gulf coast region.
Joining Bush on stage after a video message from four governors of states affected by the storm, Cindy McCain, wife of presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain, urged delegates to help with hurricane relief.
Watch: Cindy McCain calls for hurricane aid
"I would ask that each one of us commit to join together to aid those in need as quickly as possible," she said. "As John has been saying for the last several days, this is a time when we take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats."
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/09/01/art.bushmccain.gi.jpg caption="Laura Bush and Cindy McCain will address the convention."]ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) – Cindy McCain and first lady Laura Bush will appear before the Republican convention Monday to encourage people to donate to the relief efforts in the Gulf region, a senior McCain campaign official told reporters in a conference call.
Watch: Cindy McCain and Laura Bush meet some delegates
Republican officials have dramatically scaled back the first day of the convention as Hurricane Gustav slammed into the Louisiana coast. In addition to Bush and McCain appearances, the convention will perform the bare bones official business needed to start the convention. Rick Davis, John McCain’s campaign manager, emphasized that all political activity will be suspended for the time being.
“We hope to regain our schedule at some point,” Davis said.
Davis also said that Target and FedEx will help convention attendees and the Red Cross send care packages to the Gulf region. Later in the week, delegates, staff and other volunteers will meet in Minneapolis to assemble the care packages. In addition, the McCain campaign is setting up a phone bank in the Hilton Hotel in Minneapolis to raise money for Gulf Coast charities.
PITTSBURGH, Pennslyvania (CNN) - Hurricane Gustav is having an impact on both sides of the aisle: hours after prompting Republican John McCain to scale back the GOP convention schedule, the storm is affecting the plans of his Democratic counterparts as well.
Citing the dire situation along the Gulf Coast, Senator Joe Biden cancelled his plans to march in Pittsburgh's annual Labor Day parade Monday. Instead, Biden was to give a statement on the hurricane at 10:30 a.m. ET.
Watch: Biden reacts to Gustav
The campaign still planned to hold two afternoon events in Scranton, Pennsylvania, including a discussion on jobs and the economy at Biden's childhood home.
(CNN) - The Democratic National Committee has canceled its Sunday event welcoming members of the media covering the Republican National Convention.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families in the region," DNC spokesman Damien LaVera said.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/08/31/art.mccain.ap.jpg caption="John McCain, with VP pick Sarah Palin, visit a hurricane command center on Sunday."]
PEARL, Mississippi (CNN) - Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain told reporters Sunday there would be significant changes to the upcoming GOP convention, saying it would be inappropriate to hold a political celebration in light of the imminent arrival of Hurricane Gustav.
“We must redirect our efforts from the really celebratory event of the nomination of president and vice president of our party to acting as all Americans," said McCain.
The Arizona senator, who spoke after his tour of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency in Pearl, Mississippi, did not elaborate on what those changes might be, instead saying the campaign will release a statement in the next few hours.
McCain did say the convention would need to transition from a "party event" to a "call to the nation for action": "I pledge that tomorrow night, and if necessary, throughout our convention if necessary, to act as Americans not Republicans, because America needs us now no matter whether we are
Republican or Democrat.’’
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