Although local officials deserved a large portion of the blame, the response three years ago to Hurricane Katrina was a political disaster for Republicans and President Bush. Polls showed the public came away with the sense that the president had not done enough to help those affected by the hurricane and that the concern shown by the politicians in power was not genuine. As Hurricane Gustav threatened the Gulf Coast area this week, Republicans responded by postponing many of their convention activities. Wary of the potential impact of looking insensitive while citizens were fearing for their lives and homes, Republican nominee John McCain made it clear that convention activities would remain at a minimum until the danger had passed. In this video, professional pollsters analyze how Katrina has affected the Republican Party and President Bush's legacy. Quotes "Not only did Katrina devastate New Orleans; it devastated President Bush, with virtually the whole country watching, because Katrina was followed as much as any event, save 9/11." - Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center "I think what you're seeing this week here...is a sense that, 'We can never be caught off-guard like that again, looking like we don't understand the concerns of average Americans.'"- Amy Walter, Editor-in-Chief, The Hotline "It's not a bad thing politically for John McCain to not have President Bush and Vice President Cheney here." - Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center Warm Up Questions 1. What were some of the things you remember about Hurricane Katrina three years ago? 2. What are some words you would use to describe Hurricane Katrina and the government's response to it? Discussion Questions 1. Do you think John McCain and the Republicans made the right choice by postponing convention activities until after the hurricane? Why or why not? 2. What effect do you think the Hurricane Katrina disaster had on public opinion of the president? How does it affect your own opinion of President Bush? 3. Do you agree with Andre Kohut that President Bush could have a negative impact on McCain's campaign? Why or why not? Are there other items in the news that could have a negative impact on the Republican campaign? 4. How might the timing of Hurricane Gustav affect the November elections? Additional Resources Transcript Online NewsHour: Vote 2008