Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez told journalists at a Foreign Press Center briefing in St. Paul, Minnesota, September 1, presumed Republican nominee John McCain cares very much about Hispanic issues and, despite poor poll numbers for McCain among Hispanics, he believes more Hispanics will favor McCain as they realize the Arizona senator’s long history of supporting their community.

Both McCain and Barack Obama are courting Hispanic voters by speaking before Hispanic groups and running advertisements in Spanish. The uneven dispersion of Hispanics in the U.S. population gives them a potentially key role in swing states like Florida, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico. So far these voters seem to favor Democrat Barack Obama. (See “Obama, McCain Compete in Wooing Hispanic Voters.”)

Born in Cuba and once a resident of Mexico, Gutierrez – who told journalists he was not speaking on behalf of the U.S. government – said Hispanic issues are “very important to me.” He said McCain “understands Hispanic community issues … he considers it one of his priorities and he has always had a great deal of respect for our community.”

Gutierrez noted that McCain, a military veteran, served in Vietnam with many Hispanics. “He has always been a friend of the Hispanic American community, not just during a campaign.”

Welcome to Minnesota! Republicans open their national convention in St. Paul on September 1 with a look and feel that are completely different from those of the recent Democratic convention – thanks to a major tropical storm. Hurricane Gustav is hitting the Gulf Coast – the same region devastated by Hurricane Katrina three years ago – just as the Republican National Convention is poised to begin.

Given the potential for severe damage and loss of life, presumed Republican nominee John McCain and other party leaders have decided it would be inappropriate to hold a celebration. Stressing this is not a time to talk partisan politics, McCain told convention-goers to “take off their Republican hats and put on their American hats.”

Republicans will conduct official party business for a short time on the opening day of convention, but there will be no speeches, videos, musical performances or other events designed to get the party faithful excited. McCain encouraged delegates and other citizens to use this time to take “action in the form of volunteering, donations, reaching out our hands and our hearts and our wallets to the people who are under such great threat from this great natural disaster.”

Because of the hurricane, some political leaders cancelled their trips to St. Paul, including President Bush and Vice President Cheney, who were to have addressed the convention September 1, and Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana. The major television networks’ lead anchors are missing as well – they headed to the Gulf coast.

It is not clear when convention activities will return to normal – party leaders plan to make that decision on a day-by-day basis.

Despite the change in plans, America.gov will be holding its convention webchat with political experts – Click on the link to send in your questions!