Today Dana Milbank asks if God has forsaken the Republican Party. He cites the representative caught skinny-dipping in the Sea of Galilee, Todd Akin, and reports that a hurricane might wipe out the Tampa convention next week.

“Coincidence?” he asks, tongue somewhat in cheek. “Or part of some Intelligent Design?” Conservatives are awfully quick to pronounce other peoples’ misfortune as God’s Judgment, including the drowning of New Orleans and September 11. Why wouldn’t unfortunate events be God’s wrath against them?

CNN reminds us that “Four years ago Hurricane Gustav brought the first night of the Republican National Convention in land-locked St. Paul, Minnesota to a halt.” I had forgotten that, although as I remember Gustav turned out to be something of a bust. At least the GOP was able to use it to keep George W. Bush from turning up in St. Paul.

Weather Underground says that the odds are Tampa will be hurricane-free next week. Even so, a Category 4 storm could immerse the Tampa Convention Center in 20 feet of water. If that happens, I want trapped conventioneers to have to wait a few days to be rescued, and cops should be stationed around town only to keep desperate people wearing Romney-Ryan buttons from looting, not to actually rescue anyone. It would be justice for New Orleans. I don’t want anyone to be hurt, mind you, just to be taught a lesson.

See also Joan Walsh, “The GOP reaps what it sowed.”