Where do they stay on the campaign trail?
FoxNews.com reports on the hotel preferences of the Presidential candidates. Obama leans Hyatt while Romney’s travel spend goes to Marriott (where Romney is a former member of the Board of Directors).
Ann Romney has said she likes Hampton Inns for free Wifi, but Fox News can find no indication that she’s ever stayed in one.
Luxurious digs aren’t limited to the Romneys, however, with the piece reminding that shortly after the last election Michelle Obama took the kids to the Presidential Suite at the (Marriott…) Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas.
(HT: uggboy on Milepoint)
In addition, the Marriot and Romney families are very, very, very close (I believe that Willard is actually named after the Marriot founder) and both families are long-term officials and supporters of the Mormons.
And, now that I think about it, I think one of the Hyatts is actually a big Democratic supporter.
So that’s why the Marriott always has a book of Mormon in the drawer and Hyatt has a copy of Communist Manifsto in the drawer? Sorry it was just laying there and I couldn’t help it. I’m a Holiday Inn Express. Person mostly so does that make me a middle of the road Baptist?
@LarryInNYC – Penny Pritzker
Mr President prefers Hyatt?! Aww, just one more thing I love about him. Hyatt is my fav also.
@Gary: I’ll accept credit for knowing that, despite the fact that I was actually thinking of Joel Hyatt who, at least using a quick google search, does not actually appear to be related to Hyatt hotels.
Obama’s preference goes back to his choice for 2008 election night digs:
http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/11/7/134558/675/hotels/Obama_Was_Celebrating_in_the_Hyatt_Regency_Chicago%27s_Presidential_Suite
Obama stays at the InterContinental San Francisco each time he’s here even though there are 2 Hyatts in town.
But did Michelle and the kids use points? 🙂
Hyatt is owned by the Pritzker family, which is a big Democratic donor. Clinton stayed at Hyatt hotels, too, IIRC.
I’m sorry, is the article commenting somehow that Marriott’s are “more luxurious” than Hyatts? Are they being serious?
During the 08 Primaries – one of the Pritzkers was a Hilary supporter while another was an Obama supporter.
Running for President has got to be the world’s most tiring business trip; I assume both guys have good advance teams to keep them as comfortable as possible. Obama probably has it a little easier because of all the Presidential infrastructure.
The Marriott family is Mormon, so that doesn’t surprise me. The business school at BYU is named after their family as well.
@LarryInNYC: Joel Hyatt runs (or used to run) a low-cost legal firm (franchise?). I remember his TV ads from way back when. But yeah, the Pritzker family runs the Hyatt hotels.