Republicans respond to Gustav

Rick Davis, Campaign Manager of the McCain campaign, announced that the Republican National Convention, in cooperation with Target and FedEx will send 80,000 comfort packages to residents of the Gulf Coast.

Republican delegates and other volunteers will pack the goods donated by Target at the convention center starting Wednesday morning at 8 AM and FedEX will ship the packages to the areas impacted by hurricane Gustav.

Additionally, the McCain campaign has coordinated financial relief efforts with the governors of Louisiana, Missouri, Texas, Alabama and Florida to get funds raised and donated by convention delegates to local charities. Phone banks are being set up at the convention center for delegates to raise funds from their donor bases.

All political activities of the convention are suspended today. RNC chairman Mike Duncan said, "politics is set aside today and we should all come together as Americans." Only official, required business of the convention will be conducted.

First Lady Laura Bush will address the convention briefly this afternoon to introduce a video of the Gulf coast governors and Cindy McCain will address the convention to ask the delegates to support the charitable efforts for Gustav victims.