Put partisan politics aside and be generous in helping Gulf Coast residents hit by Hurricane Gustav.

That’s the message delivered Monday by First Lady Laura Bush at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, CNN reports.

"Our first priority is to assure the safety and well-being of those living in the Gulf Coast region," said Bush.

Laura Bush’s comments came three years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana and Mississippi. Her husband, President Bush, took a lot of heat for what many saw as a lackluster federal response to that storm. Those criticisms continue today, in the form of complaints about FEMA trailers, lack of rebuilding progress and other issues.

"When such events occur, we are reminded that, first, we are all Americans, and that our shared American ideals will always transcend political parties and partisanship," Laura Bush said. "We hope that the people on the Gulf Coast know that the American people are here to do what we can to assist them."

She also said President Bush "has been speaking with the officials in the region to make sure they have what they need from the federal government." Governors of Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida — all states in the storm’s projected path — canceled their trips to the conventions.

Cindy McCain, wife of Republican presidential contender John McCain, said her husband "has been saying for the last several days this is the time we take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats."

She urged Americans to go to causegreater.com, a website paid for by John McCain 2008, to donate.

"That will allow all of us to aid those who have been affected by Hurricane Gustav," said McCain.

GOP convention planners scrambled to shift some convention events around after Gustav led many Republican officials to cancel most of their opening-day events. Others tried to keep in touch with what was going on in their states from the convention while still conducting the party’s business.

Party leaders were hoping that the storm would not inflict serious damage, allowing the convention to get back to its original schedule as early as Tuesday and allowing John McCain to speak in person Thursday night. But one top official told The New York Times that a final decision might not come before Tuesday morning.

"There’s no question that our delegation is torn in our hearts and in our thoughts because we’ve been glued to the television, talking on the telephones, trying to get updates on what’s happening," said state Rep. Kay Katz from the subdued convention floor Monday afternoon, Newsweek reports. "That’s upset us a good bit, but we also understand that we’ve been charged to be here, to cast a vote so that we can place a nominee on the ballot."

Louisiana GOP spokesman Aaron Baer said three to four delegates of the state’s 47 delegates and 44 alternates left St. Paul to head back to Louisiana, and another handful canceled plans to attend. Many convention-goers in his group were wearing red ribbons on their lapels in solidarity with their neighbors at home.

"It’s been tough for the whole delegation," Baer said.