Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise is calling on liberal filmmaker Michael Moore to apologize after he said Friday that the timing of Hurricane Gustav is “proof that there is a God in heaven,” since the storm approaching the Gulf Coast could disrupt next week’s Republican National Convention.
Moore made the remarks to MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann. Republicans have been monitoring the storm’s progress, considering whether to postpone their convention in St. Paul, Minn., if the storm wreaks havoc on the New Orleans area, just three years after Hurricane Katrina.
“I was just thinking, this Gustav is proof that there is a God in heaven,” Moore said. “To just have it planned at the same time, that it would actually be on its way to New Orleans for Day One of the Republican convention, up in the Twin Cities, at the top of the Mississippi River.”
Scalise released a statement Saturday blasting the documentary filmmaker for the remarks.
“I demand an immediate apology from Michael Moore to the people of south Louisiana for his offensive and inappropriate comments,” said Scalise, a Republican. “People in Louisiana, regardless of political affiliation, are making plans to leave to protect their families from this serious storm, and the God I know would not share Michael Moore’s glee for our plight.”
Residents of New Orleans and the surrounding area have to started to evacuate, while the storm strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane.
Moore seemed to back off his statement on air Friday, later saying, “I mean I certainly hope nobody gets hurt. I hope everybody’s taking cover.”
Click here to see the clip of Moore talking about Gustav.