Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain canceled the bulk of convention activities today as Hurricane Gustav barreled toward New Orleans - and thrust the party into a political high-wire act.

“This is a time when we have to do away with our party politics and we have to act as Americans,” McCain said last night.

Yet the hurricane’s political ramifications are inescapable after the Bush administration was roundly criticized for its response to the Katrina disaster three years ago. And as the GOP finds its biggest partisan showcase coinciding with another potential calamity, there’s little room for error.

“I don’t know that there’s any correct answer for what they do,” said David Johnson, former head of the GOP party in critical battleground state Florida. “There’s politics involved in everything, including hurricanes.”

There was talk of turning the convention into a telethon of sorts for victims. But doing so could invite Democratic criticism of politicizing the potential devastation, party operatives worried.

Officials want to avoid scenes of Republicans partying during the storm, but delaying the convention altogether appeared logistically impossibile.

“They’re damned if they do and damned if they don’t,” Johnson said.

The final decision involved cutting the first-night program from seven hours to two-and-one-half and planning the rest of the convention on a day-by-day basis.

President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney canceled their scheduled appearances at the convention. McCain, meanwhile, chartered a jet to fly delegates back to their hurricane-threatened states and was reportedly weighing whether to deliver his acceptance speech via satellite from the Gulf Coast region.

Whatever he does, it may provide voters with a potential preview of a McCain administration. So Republicans vowed that this time, the GOP would not botch the job.

“Unlike Katrina, we’re going to be on top of this from the beginning,” said Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading). “It showcases that people do learn from their mistakes.”

Famed Republican operative Frank Luntz told the Politico that Gustav could hurt the party because it reminds everyone of Katrina.

“It doesnt allow them to put forward a message contrary to Obama because everyone is focused on the hurricane,” Luntz told the publication. “Delegates were very turned on about Sarah Palin, but now they don’t get to celebrate that.”

Convention organizers have set up a committee just to monitor Hurricane Gustav and consider changes to the event. Despite political drawbacks, some operatives hoped the GOP’s actions might redeem any public confidence lost during Katrina.

“From a political standpoint there is a disappointment,” Rep. Jones said. “But this is the more appropriate decision. This is an opportunity for McCain to say, ‘Hey, this is the kind of president I’m going to be.’ ”