Candidates Fund-raise for Hurricane Relief

First Lady Laura Bush and Potential First Lady Cindy McCain appeared together at the abbreviated RNC opener this afternoon to plug the fundraising effort for victims of Hurricane Gustav.

Due to fears about impropriety amid a natural disaster, this afternoon's proceedings eschewed fanfare and partisan grandstanding in favor of staid calls to help our neighbors. (Well, there was some lower taxes/shrink the government/drill more material during the platform approval, but I didn't hear Barack Obama's name mentioned once.)

The McCain folks have created their own site, causegreater.com, to direct contributors to disaster-relief websites recommended by the five gulf-state governors. Four of the govs -- Rick Perry of Texas, Bob Riley of Alabama, Charlie Crist of Florida, and Haley Barbour of Mississippi -- appeared in a video talking about the success of the Gustav efforts so far. The presentation marked a distinct difference from the Katrina aftermath in 2005, when the local, state, and federal governments bickered over responsibility for the humanitarian crisis and all three received a public-opinion drubbing.

Barack Obama is also calling on his supporters to donate money to Gustav victims. This afternoon his campaign sent an email (also posted to his blog) encouraging $5 donations to the American Red Cross via the Obama campaign website.

-- Evie Stone

5:59 PM ET | 09- 1-2008 | permalink

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