The Democratic presidential nominee scales down his weekend plans in the wake of Hurricane Ike

Barack Obama has pulled out of his scheduled appearance on Saturday Night Live due to Hurricane Ike.

The Democratic presidential nominee’s spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, told the Associated Press that Obama didn’t feel like it was appropriate after the storm made landfall in Texas.

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In addition, the hurricane may affect the tone of the NBC show’s season premiere, which will be hosted by Olympian Michael Phelps.

“If it’s serious, it will change everything for us,” the show’s creator and producer Lorne Michaels told Politco on Friday. “The tone of the show will shift, and it would be inappropriate for the senator to do if it looks in any way like it’s going to be a tragedy.”