WASHINGTON: Katrina was a natural disaster that turned into a political one for the Bush administration. Gustav, now on course for the Gulf Coast almost three years to the day since Katrina struck, could offer the chance for redemption or point-scoring in the presidential campaign. If the administration fumbles the response again, the Democrats will pounce, especially given that Gustav could make landfall during the Republican National Convention, which opens Monday in St. Paul, Minnesota. If the response meets the public's approval, Republicans can crow. And if the storm never reaches shore? Wait until next time. Since Katrina, which struck New Orleans Aug. 29, 2005, the public pays closer attention to government responses to hurricanes.
WASHINGTON: Katrina was a natural disaster that turned into a political one for the Bush administration. Gustav, now on course for the Gulf Coast almost three years to the day since Katrina struck, could offer the chance for redemption or point-scoring in the presidential campaign.
If the administration fumbles the response again, the Democrats will pounce, especially given that Gustav could make landfall during the Republican National Convention, which opens Monday in St. Paul, Minnesota.
If the response meets the public's approval, Republicans can crow.
And if the storm never reaches shore? Wait until next time.
Since Katrina, which struck New Orleans Aug. 29, 2005, the public pays closer attention to government responses to hurricanes.
Tropical Storm Gustav today drenched Jamaica and threatened the Cayman Islands as the US Gulf coast made preparations to be hit by a possible hurricane next week.Gustav ripped off roofs, downed power lines and pounded rain into Jamaica, triggering landslides and flooding but no reported deaths. At least 68 people died earlier when the storm hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic. If Gustav continues its current trajectory, the storm could hit Louisiana -- perhaps as a major hurricane -- by next Tuesday, although it could wind up almost anywhere in the Gulf of Mexico, the US National Hurricane Centre in Miami said today.The storm was centred near Jamaica's western coast today, with its maximum sustained winds clocked at almost 65mph (100 kmph), the hurricane centre said.
Tropical Storm Gustav today drenched Jamaica and threatened the Cayman Islands as the US Gulf coast made preparations to be hit by a possible hurricane next week.
Gustav ripped off roofs, downed power lines and pounded rain into Jamaica, triggering landslides and flooding but no reported deaths. At least 68 people died earlier when the storm hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
If Gustav continues its current trajectory, the storm could hit Louisiana -- perhaps as a major hurricane -- by next Tuesday, although it could wind up almost anywhere in the Gulf of Mexico, the US National Hurricane Centre in Miami said today.
The storm was centred near Jamaica's western coast today, with its maximum sustained winds clocked at almost 65mph (100 kmph), the hurricane centre said.
When a Loop Current Eddy breaks off in the Gulf of Mexico at the height of hurricane season, it can lead to a dangerous situation where a vast reservoir of energy is available to any hurricane that might cross over. This occurred in 2005, when a Loop Current Eddy separated in July, just before Hurricane Katrina passed over and "bombed" into a Category 5 hurricane. The eddy remained in the Gulf and slowly drifted westward during September. Hurricane Rita passed over the same Loop Current Eddy three weeks after Katrina, and also explosively deepened to a Category 5 storm. This year, we had another Loop Current Eddy break off in July. This eddy is now positioned due south of New Orleans (Figure 2), and this eddy has similar levels of heat energy to the 2005 eddy that powered Katrina and Rita. Should Gustav pass over or just to the left of this eddy, we can expect the storm to significantly intensify.
This year, we had another Loop Current Eddy break off in July. This eddy is now positioned due south of New Orleans (Figure 2), and this eddy has similar levels of heat energy to the 2005 eddy that powered Katrina and Rita. Should Gustav pass over or just to the left of this eddy, we can expect the storm to significantly intensify.
How likely is that?
And how insane is it to be using a hurricane strike as a campaign issue?
