News anchors to leave convention for Gulf Coast

The big three broadcast news anchors are headed to the Gulf region to cover Hurricane Gustav as news outlets scramble on how to cover both the coming storm and the Republican National Convention.

With New Orleans residents being evacuated before what Mayor Ray Nagin called the "mother of all storms" hits and both President Bush and Vice President Cheney canceling their Monday appearances at the Republican convention, the networks, who planned to spend the week in St. Paul, are hustling to report on both events.

{mosads}Most of the news networks stressed their plans are fluid, given the uncertainty of the storm and the changing schedule for the Republican convention.

NBC's Brian Williams will anchor coverage from the Gulf region and interview Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Sunday's "Nightly News." Williams will be joined in the area by his colleagues Ann Curry, Lester Holt, and Al Roker.

Tom Brokaw will anchor convention coverage from St. Paul.

CBS' Katie Couric is headed to the Gulf Coast and will begin anchoring there on Monday. And Harry Smith will also anchor the "Early Show" from there. CBS noted its one hour of prime-time convention coverage will includes updates on Gustav.

ABC's Charles Gibson will anchor from New Orleans. "Good Morning America" weather and news anchors Sam Champion and Chris Cuomo will report on Gustav while Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts anchor from New York. "Nightline" co-anchor Terry Moran will report from New Orleans.

George Stephanopoulos will report from St. Paul for the network.

As for the 24-hour cable news networks, Fox Business Network will cover the hurricane live all day Monday with anchor Alexis Glick in New Orleans.

Fox News Channel is sending anchor Shepard Smith from St. Paul to New Orleans. Geraldo Rivera will join him there. Fox plans to cover both Gustav and the convention but most of Monday's focus will be on the storm. Brit Hume will man the anchor chair from St. Paul though will also have reports on Gustav. The network's morning show "Fox & Friends" will be anchored from St. Paul and will cover both high-profile stories.

MSNBC will have Keith Olbermann anchoring Gustav coverage from New York City while Chris Matthews handles the political coverage from St. Paul.

CNN has Anderson Cooper, whose network star rose with his Hurricane Katrina coverage, in New Orleans. Wolf Blitzer stays on the ground in St. Paul.

The network noted it has over 100 reporters and producers headed to the Gulf region.

"I think we're in a wait and see mode," said CNN political director Sam Feist. "If think we're going to wait and see what happens with the convention plans and wait and see what happens with the storm."

Feist noted CNN has a New Orleans bureau and can dispatch staffers from cities like Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles without compromising its St. Paul presence.

"We're prepared to cover both stories at the same time," he said.