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Politics ain't pretty, and the latest proof is news there's an outside chance that a hurricane might disrupt next week's GOP convention.

Nothing like a tempest at a Tea Party, apparently, to inspire partisan zingers across the Twitterverse.

"The upside to a hurricane during the GOP convention -- #Occupy protesters finally get a shower," tweets Rick Moore (@RickMoore).

"What are all those televangelists who said New Orleans' hedonism and immorality caused Katrina going to say if Hurricane Ivan slams the RNC?" tweets Caroline McCarthy (@caro).

The developing hurricane's name is actually Isaac, and this morning the tropical storm was prompting warnings from Martinique to Puerto Rico. It could become a hurricane Thursday, with Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba next on the projected path.

By Sunday morning, the storm could reach South Florida, but, as iffy as the election, it could veer left or right.

Only a few posting seemed more worried about the potential pain and damage of a big storm.

"If I have a stroke today, it will be because someone on TV is more worried about a hurricane affecting the convention than hitting S Florida," says Katherine Miller (@katherinemiller).

"Tropical Storm Isaac is developing into a major hurricane and may be hitting the Dominican Republic. Please pray for those in villages!" pleads Gabriela Balaguer (@GabyBalaguer).

Republicans and GOP sympathizers, not surprisingly, also see little humor in the situation.

That's why one-sided potshots like these are most typical:

"Chris Christie can berate it away," tweets LOLGOP (@LOLGOP), who also asked: "Which would the GOP prefer in Tampa? Akin or a hurricane?" (Todd Akin is the Missouri congressman and Senate candidate who apologized for saying a woman is not likely to get pregnant from a "legitimate rape.")

"God is sending a hurricane to Tampa to punish GOP for drunk skinny dipping in the Sea of Galilee: http://wapo.st/NfuoDC," tweets Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank (@Milbank).

"If a hurricane does hit Tampa with the #RNC in town, I bet we'll see FEMA react a lot quicker than they did during Katrina," tweets Tampa radio host Drew Garabo (@DrewOnTheRadio).

"Dear Tampa: #GOP says they're not worried about hurricane Issac. Translation: RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! EVACUATE! GO GO GO NOW!" advises Shoq Value (@Shoq).

If national elections, like hurricanes, were rated by windiness -- blustering blowhards and heartless howling -- wouldn't this one be a Category 5?

The Democratic National Convention begins Sept. 4 in Charlotte, N.C.

Contact staff writer Peter Mucha at 215-854-4342 or pmucha@phillynews.com.