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What did they expect ‘inn’ Middletown? A Ritz-Carlton?
Maybe she should have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express or the Drury Inn & Suites.
Apparently, Nicolle Wallace, a communications adviser for John McCain’s campaign, was quoted in this week’s (Sept. 8) Newsweek magazine, which is already on the newsstands, described the Manchester Inn and Conference Center where Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin stayed the night of Aug. 28 as being “very unposh.”
Wallace probably didn’t know that according to the Manchester Inn’s Web site, the hotel was built in 1922 by local business leaders who saw the need for a first class hotel to serve Middletown and the surrounding area.
While the McCain/Palin crew reportedly paid a rate of $89 per room, we’re left scratching our heads and asking what were they expecting, considering that the McCain staff and Palin family secretly flew into Hook Field Municipal Airport on two corporate jets….. Maybe if they (the McCain people) would have called ahead, perhaps they would have had more time to consider other places.
I’ve been Anchorage, Alaska a couple of times and have stayed at the Best Western near the University of Alaska campus….. It’s nice, but I wouldn’t call it “posh.” However, Anchorage does have some nicer hotels in its downtown area.
A quick check of the Web shows Wasilla, Palin’s hometown, has a few bed and breakfasts, a Best Western, a Select Inn, and a couple of non-chain motels. It appears there are lot more rustic establishments there than the Manchester Inn. But then, the Alaska governor, being the outdoorswoman that she is, probably didn’t mind roughing it at the Manchester.
The Best Western at Lake Lucille appears to have plenty of amenities for guests to enjoy. Depending on the room, the regular rate ranges from $179 to $279 a night.
An email has been sent to McCain’s campaign headquarters to get further comment from Wallace about the Manchester.
While it has been said that even bad publicity is good, it appears the city of Middletown certainly has its work cut out in revitalizing downtown. For the record, city officials declined to comment on Wallace’s quote.
But since the McCain camp effectively found a use for Middletown as the place for secret flights into the Buckeye State, perhaps the city might consider marketing itself to the U.S. Marshals Service about becoming a place to hide witnesses in high profile federal court cases?
So what do you think? Did the Manchester get a bad rap from the McCain adviser? How do you think this will affect Middletown’s downtown revitalization efforts? If you’re a McCain/Palin supporter, will this change your vote in November?
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Middletown
Comments
By middletucky
September 5, 2008 5:55 PM | Link to this
this is another reason I can not vote for either candidate,they are good enough to take our money for their campaign but too snobby to rough it a night at the Manchester which by the way I cant afford at 89.00 a night.How can any one seriously think that either of these two candidates could represent us?By RichterFan
September 5, 2008 10:21 PM | Link to this
Tsk tsk. You would think that someone from a national political campaign would know better than to speak poorly of “God’s Country.”By Deanna Back
September 6, 2008 12:06 PM | Link to this
I would like to think they got more then there $89.00 dollars worth at the Manchester Inn if Middletown had more jobs and people having money to spend at places like the Manchester Inn. It sure would help places like the Manchester Inn. Lets hope our candidates start worrying about jobs for the people in Middletown instead of running down Middletown.By Willaim Buckley
September 7, 2008 1:26 PM | Link to this
It must be requisite to work for Cox News to be a Democratic, like Mr. Richter. I mean, they actually pay this man to put such nonsensical innuendo on the front page of the Urinal, unreal. Ed, if you think the Manchester is the Mayflower or RC, you should retire. The statement was made to reinforce Palin’s ability to stay in a facility which was a modest expense. When will Cox be writing more of the expoits of failed tort attorney John Edwards and his affair in the $5,000. nightly Beverly Hills Hilton? Never- hypocrsy only runs one way at Cox. So glad I quit taking the paer years ago, not worth paying for it.By FactGuy
September 7, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this
In spite of all efforts by Cox to mislead, McCain/ Palin will win Ohio. You see, Ohio places value on real people and real issues, not false representations to attempt to drive an election for a political novice for President as Obama. Realistically, the Manchester wasn’t even of worthy standards for AK executives to have their clientiele stay there, so what’s the beef? What a misleading blog posted by such a prjudicial and worthless publication. I wonder how many times Barack and Michele ever slept in a tent or cabin? Focus on the issues folks, it will set you free, and elp you make the determination Obama is all hat, but no cattle, as Hillary Clinton so correctly stated.By sheila
September 18, 2008 9:44 PM | Link to this
My parents had their wedding reception @ this lovely hotel in the early 40’s before my Father went to war , a special place to my family. Maybe Sarah should be in her own RV with her entire family using all the gas that she can afford from her state of Alaska , Middletown be proud of your Manchester , many wonderful people have walked in her halls