it is so good to be home. >> good day. i'm andrea mitchell live at the site of the republican national convention in tampa. we are watching tropical storm isaac as it continues to strengthen on a northwest path through the gulf of mexico, bringing the threat of significant storm surges to the north gulf coast. it's expected to become a hurricane, likely category 1, before it makes landfall sometime on tuesday. gulf coast residents are preparing particularly in new orleans, where isaac could hit exactly seven years to the day since katrina hit. moments ago, louisiana governor bobby jindal said he will be focusing on storm preparations, not on this convention. >> let me get one thing out of the way. i will not be speaking or attending the republican convention in florida. certainly party conventions are interesting but there's no time for politics here in louisiana along our coast. >> msnbc's tamryn hall is live in new orleans. you're looking at a real potential crisis here.