Fla. Delegates Urged to Leave Convention (because of Hurricane Frances )

[G_j]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4467713,00.html

Fla. Delegates Urged to Leave Convention

Thursday September 2, 2004 12:16 AM


By JILL BARTON

Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - With Hurricane Frances barreling toward Florida, anxious Florida delegates examined weather reports and some began packing their bags for home.

``We're still cleaning up from the last one,'' sighed Nancy Patterson, a delegate from Orlando, where Hurricane Charley earlier this month knocked out power for nine days.

At a breakfast Wednesday, Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings urged the Florida delegates to consider leaving before the convention ends Thursday night. Frances is expected to hit Florida's eastern coast as early as Friday night.

But Carole and John Parsons of Palm Beach County said while the new storm makes them nervous, they don't want to miss the highlight of the convention - President Bush's acceptance speech Thursday night.

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