How Many Ways Can the GOP Duck a Losing Convention? The Answer, McCain, Is Blowing in the Rain

Adam Nagourney writes in today's NY Times:

Mr. McCain and his advisers did not waste a minute in suggesting that his decision to scale back the festivities was evidence of the fact that Mr. McCain, given the choice between doing what is best for him and doing what is best for his country, did what was best for the country. (Even before the storm was on the radar screen, Mr. McCain’s advisers were planning to set that up as one of the big McCain-Obama contrasts.)

Even as convention organizers spent he weekend debating what to do as the storm’s approached, Mr. McCain went on television to announce that he was thinking of suspending the convention. He then flew to Mississippi for a tour of storm preparations and a news conference. And his aides suggested that he might dispense with coming here at all – remember Country First? – and address the gathering through a video link-up.
In short, he managed to control the day – and in the process, pushed the memory of Mr. Obama’s convention just a little more into the distance.

Coming in here, Mr. McCain was understandably concerned that his acceptance speech in the arena here on Thursday would be compared against the one Mr. Obama delivered last week in Denver. Whatever Mr. McCain’s strengths as a candidate, delivering compelling speeches to big audiences is not one of them. The storm might have done Mr. McCain a favor: Not only does it take a little pressure off of him, it gives him a chance to talk about something that has always been a weak suit: Domestic issues. And it provides him an opportunity to accomplish what is one his toughest tasks here: To distance himself from President Bush at a convention where Mr. Bush continues to be popular.

Finally, as has been frequently remarked, the storm accomplished something that Mr. McCain’s advisers could not: Disinvite President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney from speaking, at least on Monday night. Mr. McCain’s advisers had done what they would to lesson the impact of those speeches – they were slated to speak on Labor Day night, Mr. Cheney was to have spoken well before prime time, and Mr. McCain made sure he was nowhere near St. Paul when Mr. Bush took the stage – but they had long been resigned to the fact that they were handing the Democrats a gift.