WASHINGTON — President Bush is unlikely to attend the Republican convention in Minnesota as scheduled Monday because of concerns about Hurricane Gustav, the White House said Sunday.

Bush planned to get an update on preparations for the storm, which could make landfall along the Gulf Coast as early as Monday, from disaster relief officials and state and local representatives late Sunday morning.

After visiting the Federal Emergency Management Agency's operations center, the president was expected to make a statement about the situation.

"It is unlikely the president will travel to Minnesota on Monday," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said early Sunday. "We are currently preparing alternate plans." The convention schedule had Bush as the featured speaker before delegates in St. Paul, Minn., late on the opening night.

The White House was likely to confirm Bush's plans later Sunday. Those could mean possible travel to the Gulf Coast and perhaps speaking to the GOP convention by video.

GOP presidential candidate John McCain, along with his wife, Cindy, and running mate Sarah Palin intended to travel to Jackson, Miss., on Sunday at the invitation of Gov. Haley Barbour because of concerns about people threatened by the storm. They were to receive a briefing at the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency — a permanent operations center monitoring hurricane response.

Ahead of the storm, Bush pre-emptively declared states of emergency for Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama. The declaration clears the way for federal aid to supplement state and local efforts and formalizes coordination. His administration did the same before Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, when the federal response was severely criticized.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Federal Emergency Management Agency chief David Paulison have visited the region to monitor developments; Chertoff was returning there Sunday. Equipment and people were put in position and safe shelters readied, with cots, blankets and hygiene kits en route.




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