L.A. Makes Early Pitch for ’88 GOP Convention

Los Angeles has officially declared its interest in bidding for the 1988 GOP convention, Republican National Chairman Frank J. Fahrenkopf disclosed Thursday--and some party insiders believe the city will be decisively favored in the competition by President and Mrs. Reagan.

The Greater Los Angeles Visitors and Convention Bureau, in a Jan. 13 letter, asked about “exploring the possibilities” for hosting the convention, Fahrenkopf said. “Our organization realizes that there is a great deal of preparation required prior to the site selection process,” wrote Albert A. Dorskind, president of the bureau.

Fahrenkopf released the letter as Republican National Committee members gathered for their annual meeting, at which the convention site selection committee will be chosen.

The chairman denied reports that the Reagans already have indicated that they would like the convention to take place in Los Angeles, near the President’s home. “No one has said anything to me,” he said.

But Fahrenkopf and other party leaders acknowledged that any expression of preference by the First Family would carry great weight. Some even suggested that Los Angeles might be chosen in part simply because it is believed that the Reagans, particularly First Lady Nancy Reagan, would want it there.

Regardless of the Reagans’ feelings, California’s status as the nation’s most populous state makes Los Angeles a strong contender to host the convention, party leaders pointed out. The last national convention in Los Angeles was the 1960 Democratic convention, which nominated then-Sen. John F. Kennedy.

But some Republicans said they are worried that a Los Angeles convention might cause political problems for the party by focusing extra attention on the outgoing President from California at the expense of the 1988 standard-bearer.

“The nominee could be overshadowed,” said one consultant. “But there’s nobody around willing to tell the Reagans that.”

Others, however, said that this potential difficulty might be encountered at other sites as well. “If that (being overshadowed) is a problem for our nominee, it will be a problem anywhere,” one party official said.

Another possible complication is that the Los Angeles Convention Center already is booked for July, 1988. And for a party not renominating an incumbent, August is late on the political calendar for a convention.

Hopes for an Indication

Meanwhile, Fahrenkopf said he hopes that the Reagans, if they do have a convention site preference, will make their wishes known before other cities go to great trouble and expense.

“It can cost a city $100,000 to $200,000 to get ready for this dog-and-pony show,” he said.

After the eight-member site selection committee is chosen, its members will begin preparing requests for specific information about such factors as hotel rooms, transportation and convention hall capacity, which will be sent out to interested cities in late March. Committee members will visit the competing cities this summer and vote in December on their recommendation to the full national committee.

Among the other cities that have notified the Republican National Committee of their interest in the convention are San Diego, Las Vegas, Seattle, Houston, Kansas City, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Miami.

The Democratic National Committee received a similar letter from Dorskind expressing interest in the 1988 Democratic National Convention, said Terry Michael, a committee spokesman. The Democrats expect to begin their site selection process within a few weeks.