AFP - US President George W. Bush said Sunday he will not attend the Republican National Convention this week due to the dangerous hurricane threatening the US Gulf coast, and that he will instead monitor the storm and evacuation operations Monday in Texas.

AFP - White House hopeful John McCain vowed Sunday to transform his party's convention into a call for action in the wake of deadly Hurricane Gustav which is bearing down on the US Gulf Coast.

AP - John McCain ordered changes in the Republican National Convention that was to be a four-day celebration of his presidential nomination Sunday, to "redirect our efforts" to reflect the seriousness of Hurricane Gustav as it churned toward the Gulf Coast. President Bush, Vice President Cheney and prominent GOP governors decided to skip the gathering altogether.

AP - As John McCain pushes the new Republican presidential ticket of McCain-Palin, Democrat Barack Obama is promoting another Republican brand — McCain-Bush.

AFP - Republican officials said Saturday there were no plans to postpone the party's convention here next week due to Hurricane Gustav, which threatened to strike New Orleans by Tuesday.

AFP - Republican White House hopeful John McCain Saturday warned Hurricane Gustav could force the suspension of his nominating convention, as the rival campaigns dueled in battleground states.

AP - Likely GOP presidential nominee John McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, are traveling to Mississippi on Sunday to check on people getting prepared for Hurricane Gustav.

AP - John McCain will try to reclaim his reformist image at a Republican National Convention tightly scripted to put some distance between the conservative presidential candidate and his party's unpopular standard-bearer, President Bush.

AP - McCain, Palin spend first full day of campaigning in Pa.; GOP leaders keep wary eye on Gustav ... As Gustav approaches Gulf Coast, Obama expresses hope that lessons leaned from Katrina ... Magazine: Obama told Petraeus some US forces in Iraq should be shifted to Afghanistan fight

AP - John McCain voiced concern for Gulf Coast residents fleeing the path of Hurricane Gustav on Saturday and made plans to visit Mississippi even as he reintroduced running mate Sarah Palin to a raucous crowd in a key battleground state.