McCain's VP pick helps fundraising, draws scorn

By Jeff Mason

PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - Presidential candidate John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin spent time getting to know each other on Saturday after the Alaska governor's surprise addition to the Republican ticket ignited fundraising and drew Democratic scorn.

But forecasts that Hurricane Gustav could come ashore as a powerful storm in Louisiana by late Monday or early Tuesday distracted attention from next week's Republican convention and revived memories of the widely criticized response of President George W. Bush administration to Hurricane Katrina three years ago.

Bush is scheduled on Monday evening to address the convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, that will nominate McCain and Palin, but White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the administration was making contingency plans that could include Bush addressing his fellow Republicans via satellite instead.

"We continue to track the path of the storm and there is no scheduling change to speak of yet," she told reporters. Republican convention organizers said they were also monitoring the storm and considering contingencies.

McCain and his wife, Cindy, joined Palin, her husband, Todd, and their children for a visit with voters at a local diner in Pennsylvania and a ride on McCain's campaign bus on Saturday.

The Arizona senator announced his vice presidential choice on Friday after hosting Palin at his Arizona home on Thursday. It was only the second time the two had met in person.

Palin's conservative credentials, including strong anti-abortion views and a record of confronting entrenched interests during less than two years as governor of Alaska, energized conservatives, who poured money into the campaign.

"We raised over $4 million online" on Friday, said senior adviser Steve Schmidt, who is in charge of day-to-day campaign operations. He said the campaign had never made more than $1 million in a single day over the Internet before.

Frank Donatelli, deputy chairman of the Republican National Committee, said the party had also brought in several hundred thousand dollars since the announcement.

Democrats and national newspaper editorials were critical of the choice and of the first-term Alaska governor's lack of experience.

"No one knows whether Sarah Palin could be a competent president, which shows how highly political and potentially reckless this choice is," New York Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer said in a statement.

Democratic nominee Barack Obama, who would be the first black U.S. president, said he had never met Palin.

"She seems to have a compelling life story. Obviously, she's a fine mother and an up-and-coming public servant," Obama told CBS' "60 Minutes," according to a transcript released by the TV network.

"It's too early for me to gauge what kind of running mate she'll be. My sense is that she subscribes to John McCain's agenda," he said.

CRITICISM OF PALIN, CONCERN ABOUT GUSTAV