Dodd links McCain to delayed Katrina response

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) attributed the GOP’s possible change in convention plans to the Bush administration’s failed response to Hurricane Katrina victims three years ago.

“It was the failure of the Bush administration’s actions three years ago that are creating all of this conversation, including the discussion of canceling or modifying the convention,” said Dodd on CNN’s Late Edition.

{mosads}As Hurricane Gustav headed toward the Gulf Coast, convention officials are planning to release an updated schedule of speakers and events this afternoon, including whether Republican presumptive nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) will attend the convention or perhaps deliver a videotaped version of his acceptance speech.

Dodd linked McCain, who is in route to Mississippi with vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin to observe the state’s hurricane preparations, to Bush’s delayed response to Hurricane Katrina.

“There’s a concern that the Bush administration, one whose policies (McCain) has endorsed, will handle this appropriately,” Dodd said. “If there was a lot of confidence that those in authority today would respond as they should have, then frankly I think the convention would go on. There would be concern about it, there would be talk about it, but they wouldn’t be talking about canceling a convention.”