Apparently Sarah Palin is officially off limits to the press. ABC's Jake Tapper writes:

Rick Davis, campaign manager for Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., just told Fox News Channel's Chris Wallace that McCain running mate Gov. Sarah Palin won't subject herself to any tough questions from reporters "until the point in time when she'll be treated with respect and deference."

After the RNC winnowed itself back yesterday afternoon due to Hurricane Gustav, I considered the political ramifications and suggested that McCain could benefit--but only if his campaign displayed caution and sublety.

So much for that. From Politico's Jonathan Martin:

John McCain's campaign manager today accused Barack Obama of practicing politics as Hurricane Gustav bears down on the Gulf Coast.

ST. PAUL--Just got back from the press conference where John McCain announced, via video, that the RNC will be radically altered due to Hurricane Gustav. After McCain spoke, both Republican Party Chairman Mike Duncan and McCain campaign manager Rick Davis offered a bit more detail on what would and wouldn’t happen.