Yes, KC should host RNC: If mayor and police chief are brave enough, we should be
As divisive as our politics have become, maybe it’d be best if our political conventions were held on a remote island chain. Malta or Montserrat, anyone?
Barring that, Kansas City and other cities vying to host the Republican or Democratic national conventions in 2024 had better be prepared to button up their bullet-proof vests.
You can understand Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas pushing a bid for the Republican National Convention, which is being shopped to more than 30 cities. It’s what mayors do, and a delegation from Kansas City met with Republicans in Washington on Tuesday. But in the age of partisan warfare, this isn’t your grandparents’ political gathering. It’s a big security risk.
That said, if the city and RNC can provide more-than-adequate assurances of public safety — say, something better than G-7 meeting security — let’s go for it.
For his part, Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith says he’d welcome the event.
“Having a major convention in Kansas City would highlight our city nationally,” he tells me, undoubtedly unbowed by the security challenge.
Moreover, the mayor’s penchant for showcasing his city aside, it’s big of Lucas — a committed Democrat in a decidedly Democratic city — to welcome Republicans. Beyond the potential economic and public relations benefits, it would be an entirely-too-rare show of bipartisan cooperation.
In an era of canceling each other for our political views, here’s a Democrat-run city willing to invite up to 70,000 Republicans to town. That’s the size of a St. Joseph or St. Charles, Missouri.
My friends on the left are understandably put off by right-wing extremism, and they hold the Republican Party responsible for it. I’m not sure that’s altogether fair, and there’s certainly extremism and violence on the left. Both parties should be more vocal in denouncing and extinguishing it.
In fact, if Kansas City makes a formal bid to host the RNC by the Dec. 1 deadline, I’d suggest stipulating that the convention make a point of denouncing extremism and political violence — and I’d hope the DNC host city would insist on the same.
Given such proclamations and robust security plans — as well as making sure local merchants don’t get hurt economically by all the physical perimeters and security precautions — this could be a huge, historic event for KC.
As for the business community, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce is all for it.
“We believe Kansas City is a great place to hold large-scale events like the World Cup as well as conventions of our political parties including the RNC,” chamber president and CEO Joe Reardon wrote in a statement. “They provide an opportunity to showcase Kansas City and all we have to offer. And we would expect the city to work with our local businesses to make sure they can benefit from such large events.”
And what if former secretary of state and Kansas U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo were up for the presidential nomination? There’d be no better place to fete him than in his backyard.
Political conventions are a bigger gamble for a host city than they’ve ever been. Added to the security concerns, and serious doubts about the economic benefits of hosting them, is the uncertainty of how strongly conventions will return after the COVID-19 pandemic all but extinguished them last year.
But if city leaders think they can swing it — and they realize what a high-wire act they’ll be performing — so be it.
Kansas City wants to be a big-time city. And we can’t live our lives in abject fear.
