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Toward a more memorable, meaningful Lincoln Day weekend

by John Combest

You never forget your first time.

Mine happened my senior year of high school, that precious yet precarious precipice between being a boy and a man. Even better, it was Valentine’s Day weekend and I was eager, like every other teenager who had heard about it, read about it, but never experienced it.

Then it happened, the moment I had been dreaming about – I attended my very first Missouri Lincoln Day. Springfield, Mo. 1996.

Come Sunday morning, I sauntered out of the hotel believing that the weekend was every bit as good for the Missouri Association of Republicans as it was for me. And to this day, I bet it was.

You see, at some point within the last 20 statewide Lincoln Days (currently “Missouri Reagan-Lincoln Day,” a rebranding I’ll disregard out of hand) a little of the luster has been lost.  In my case, part of that sentiment is due to the natural inclination to gild the lily of our younger days. But I think most GOP veterans would agree that Lincoln Day’s former reputation of “can’t-miss” has become more of “do-I-really-need-to-be-there?”

Here are a few ideas to make this weekend fun again.

Several of the following visions will require the new Missouri Republican Party (MRP) chairman to pick up the phone and raise some money. After Saturday’s election, I trust that won’t be an issue.

Enhance education:  Some great campaign educational sessions take place at Lincoln Day. Don’t believe me?  Well, you’ll have to take my word because I can’t send you a video link that doesn’t exist.

Every Lincoln Day “MRP Education” session – and let’s credit the soon-to-be-departed staff for putting together a good syllabus – will be captured in high-quality video and audio with an accompanying transcript, and collateral material will be electronically provided where appropriate.  Two options:  (1.) encourage GOP media consultants to volunteer their digital talents or (2.) equip MRP staff with appropriate video tools and training to do the job.

Missouri’s much-maligned “Wild West” era of unlimited contributions and powerhouse issue groups leaves the party apparatus navel-gazing about its importance. Education should fill one essential niche. The Lincoln Day digital video element must be but one tactic in a broader, long-term strategy to generate substantive, credible content – beyond banal “gotcha” press releases and warmed-over Republican National Committee talking points – to the state’s army of Republicans.

Headliners should be headliners:  Starting in 2016, the Friday and Saturday night speakers will be presidential or VP contenders (current, not past), current Presidential Cabinet members (starting in 2017, knock on wood) or U.S. senators with a meaningful connection to Missouri.

If a majority of attendees have to ask which state the featured speaker is from, or what year they ran for president, that speaker should headline a breakfast or lunch, not a dinner.

Scrap the science fair displays:  Seeing the sad vendor/interest group tabletop displays each year makes me want to hurl myself out of the nearest window. Then I remember we’re usually on the first or second floor, and the glass is quite thick. So I’ve moved from despair to hope, envisioning a year when booth displays will be less Harper Valley PTA Bake Sale particle board and more Jefferson City Country Club mahogany.

With the guidance of a good campaign finance attorney, 2016 will see an elevated fee for booth/table space. Proceeds go to College Republicans or Young Republicans, whichever is willing to volunteer its members for setup tasks. Set a price point reasonable enough to attract multiple local corporations (think KCP&L, Cerner) yet expensive enough that they’ll feel it necessary to send their best government/public affairs/community engagement staff.

The new state party should be patient with groups that complain about the newer, pricier format. Remind them that if their cause is worthy, they can surely raise grassroots contributions or attract a wealthy benefactor to fund a booth. If not, they’re free to engage in retail politics at the social events each year until they do.

Teach them well and let them lead the way:  The value of state College Republicans (CR) and Young Republicans (YR) groups to a state party can vary greatly year to year, based largely upon the quality of president and that president’s clique. Much like fruitful long-term investing, GOP leaders must avoid a myopic view of short-term blips and invest resources with an eye to the long haul.

Years ago, House Speaker Steve Tilley (R-Perryville) generously provided support, via paying registration fees, to encourage CRs and YRs to attend Lincoln Day. In a proper 2016, the state party will either waive the fee for CRs to attend, or arrange for a statewide candidate’s campaign committee to do so. YRs – upon proving they paid annual dues to a local chapter – will receive a significant break on the registration fee and/or dinners.

Also, the Saturday night dinner already features a “Republican of the Year” award presentation, which typically honors a GOP volunteer firmly ensconced in God’s waiting room. Recognized during the same program, starting next year, will be College Republican Chapter of the Year, with a rubric based upon tangible voter registration/campaign volunteering/election results.

Give War a Chance*:  If we didn’t like conflict, we wouldn’t be in politics. And really, what do we have to hide?

Invite at least one vocal critic with a significant social media following – Progress Missouri’s Sean Nicholson comes to mind – and invite them in, gratis. Provide assurances that they’ll get safe, comfortable, unfettered access to breakfast, lunch and dinner programs with no strings attached.

The social-media heat they provide, though just a short-term pop, will pay for the catered meals many times over.  And, let’s face it:  they’re going to mock Lincoln Day events anyway, no matter their location.  Challenge them to do it while sitting in our banquet room while eating our food.

<For discussion behind closed GOP doors:  There is also significant value in welcoming in cut-rate activists from radical organizations – such as those with an acorn, but little more, of credibility – and encouraging media to broadcast those views.>

*Copyright P.J. O’Rourke

A thousand points of right:  From 2010 to 2014, I produced a “Missouri Lincoln Day Bingo” card, with the intent to amuse myself and a few others at the expense of various Stiffly Stiffersons, Twerpy Tryhards and Creepy Creepersons. To mark the fifth year (Springfield, 2014), I threw in a charitable donation element, which resulted in a total of $500 contributed to Ozarks Food Harvest.

I hope it proves to be a small, but precedent-setting, first step for statewide party events.

At the time, I took to Twitter and challenged the chairmen of the Missouri Democratic Party and Missouri Republican Party to add a philanthropic element to their hallmark annual events (2014 Jefferson-Jackson Dinner and 2015 Lincoln Day, respectively.) Roy Temple replied, “Well worth discussing” and Ed Martin tweeted, “We can have a conversation. Absolutely.”

Secretary of State Jason Kander (D) voluntarily stepped up, matching the Lincoln Day Bingo donation with his own donation – in honor of Hannibal’s Demo Days – to Douglass Community Services.

Meanwhile, neither state party leader took steps to add a philanthropic element to their signature statewide events, but with a little encouraging <nudges Dem friends in the ribs> I bet we can convince Temple and the incoming GOP chairman to step up at their next opportunity.  Missouri Democrat Days, by the way, takes place March 6-7 in Hannibal.

Starting next year, the MRP will identify a worthwhile cause in each Lincoln Day host city and arrange for a meaningful series of volunteer events.  One will take place offsite as attendees arrive on Friday afternoon; another will occur onsite during “dead” time Saturday afternoon;  and a final opportunity will be presented offsite as attendees depart Sunday. Attendees unable or unwilling to volunteer their time will be encouraged to make a financial contribution.

We should accept that the state parties will seek to make a political statement with their causes – Republicans may choose a seemingly conservative charity, and the Dems an apparent liberal one – but let’s avoid looking the gift donkeys and elephants in the mouth and be glad the partisans are leaving behind more than just rhetoric for once.

Missouri Lincoln Day can’t be all things to all people, nor should it be. That cheerfully eager and optimistic 18-year-old I mentioned earlier would garner a curmudgeonly eye-roll – at most – from this cranky 37-year-old. But might there be a way – if the new state party leadership takes a fresh approach and works collaboratively with activists of all ages – to create a more substantive and meaningful Lincoln Day?  Bingo.

John Combest is the creator of johncombest.com, Missouri’s daily political news website since October 2001.