The upcoming international conference headlined by President Barack Obama presents an unprecedented opportunity for Alaska.
It wouldn't hurt our congressional delegation to be gracious hosts.
Actually, it would help a lot, especially at a time when Alaska leaders hope to change federal policy on everything from the King Cove road to the proposed troop reductions at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, not to mention the demands of dealing with climate change in the Arctic.
Alaskans pride themselves as friendly, and our three members of Congress are positioned to set the right tone for the occasion. Hundreds of diplomats are expected for the most high-level international policy gathering in Alaska history, a chance to raise the most pressing issues of the hour.
Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Rep. Don Young don't have to stop the "federal overreach" chant, but they would do well to demonstrate that Alaskans can be welcoming, regardless of political differences. Anything less would be a poor reflection on our state.
Congress is expected to be in recess at the time of the Obama visit Aug. 31, so the three delegation members have a chance to contribute. Full details remain to be worked out, but the U.S. State Department says the participants will be foreign ministers and other high-level officials from Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Nothing like this has happened here before. The 1971 meeting of President Richard Nixon and Japanese Emperor Hirohito in Anchorage, which lasted 40 minutes, and the 1984 meeting of President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II in Fairbanks, which lasted 25 minutes, are the closest comparisons.
The meeting next month is an opportunity for Alaska to put an international spotlight on key Arctic issues of national and international interest. That's where the focus and attention should be.
So far, the delegation has taken an almost standoffish attitude, perhaps because they don't want to appear to be aligned with Obama on anything. Gov. Bill Walker has been more forthcoming about establishing connections that would benefit our state, which is clearly the better approach for Alaska.
When the White House announced the trip, the delegation should have issued a press release that said: "Mr. President, we disagree with you on a lot of big issues, but we're glad you're coming to Alaska and we hope you will see and enjoy some of what our state has to offer."
But the delegation members, who have complained bitterly that Obama has only been here on a refueling stop at Elmendorf, saw no reason to get excited at the news. Murkowski, who is doing everything possible to fend off a right-wing challenge in 2016, took a half-step toward welcoming Obama by posting a statement on Facebook.
She said, "Alaskans appreciate the president's first official visit to our state and welcome him as the commander in chief." Murkowski, whose office has produced about 175 press releases this year, did not send one out about the president's visit. Neither did Sullivan.
There was a one-line press release from Young that said: "After all the 'legacy building' he's done in Alaska, I guess we're owed more than a refueling stop."
At least Young did not refer to the president as "King George Obama" as he did in January or repeat his claim that "this person has gone completely whacko." And he did not repeat the false claim that every time Obama gets on Air Force One, its costs the country $500 million.
At that press conference in January, where Young made those remarks, Murkowski and Sullivan said Obama had declared war on Alaska. Truth be told, there is no war, just a sharp disagreement on major policy questions. But it's easier to get public attention if you exaggerate, so politicians of all sorts are eager to declare hostilities.
For now, the delegation should declare a cease-fire, welcome the president and other U.S. and world leaders, while recognizing that the Aug. 31 session is an opportunity for Alaska to raise the level of debate about the future of the Far North.