GOP: Convention will go on

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Republican Party officials said Saturday the GOP convention will go on as scheduled in St. Paul, Minn., despite concern about effects of Hurricane Gustav.

Presumptive presidential nominee John McCain had told Fox News Channel in an interview set to air Sunday it would be insensitive to hold the convention -- scheduled to run Monday through Thursday -- while Gulf Coast residents suffer the effects of the storm.

"I'm afraid ... that we may have to look at that situation and we'll try to monitor it," McCain told Fox News. "But you know it just wouldn't be appropriate to have a festive occasion while a near-tragedy or a terrible challenge is presented in the form of a natural disaster."

Several party officials have said they would miss the convention because of the hurricane.

However, GOP officials told Politico the convention will go on, but it might be conducted in a low-key fashion if the Category 4 hurricane continues on its projected path. Gustav could hit the Gulf Coast late Monday or Tuesday, and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin Saturday ordered a mandatory evacuation of the city beginning Sunday morning.

Officially, the White House has said it was uncertain whether President George W. Bush would speak at the convention Monday as scheduled, but Politico said it was unlikely Bush would make it to St. Paul -- and McCain might deliver his acceptance speech by satellite.

The Republican Party is aware it could appear to be insensitive to hurricane victims to hold the convention as planned, given public reaction to the administration's handling of Hurricane Katrina three years ago, Fox News reported Thursday.