Let’s Explain Hotels To The New York Post
Maybe you’ve heard: Hillary Clinton might run for president. Which means that we are now in the stages of every publication scouring her words, receipts, and coffee grounds for signs of an official statement about entering the 2016 race. Today, The New York Post, exhibiting toddler levels of literalism, points to Clinton’s choice of accommodations as a sure indication of intent. “Hillary is already insisting on staying in presidential suites,” the headline blares.
Such arrogance! Doesn’t Clinton know that every hotel room—indeed every sandwich special or fireworks sale—named “presidential” is in fact exclusively reserved for the actual president? Next you’ll be saying she chose the raja steak dinner or sleeps in a king-sized bed. Does she think of herself as a monarch? The absolute horror.
I doubt that the people of the Post need it explained that “presidential” usually just means “very large and/or expensive” and not “Obama’s, don’t touch.” The point is that Clinton is traveling in all kinds of insane opulence, which the Post tut-tuts.
“The former first lady is already insisting on staying in the ‘presidential suite’ of the world’s finest hotels, typically traveling to them on nothing less than a $39 million private Gulfstream G450 jet before collection $250,000-plus speaking fee,” the Post reports. “Just like the president, she sends an ‘advance’ to check out her accommodations and speech set-up before she touches down.”
Yes, just like the president. But also? Just like Oprah, probably. Just like Mark Zuckerberg. Just like any number of Republican hopefuls, past and present. Just like any high profile politician, celebrity, or speaker. I promise you, Mitt Romney doesn’t roll up to the local Day’s Inn in a beat-up Kia when he’s invited to speak.
And also, not like the president, because it isn’t funded by public money. If Clinton wants to ride on platinum-bedecked camels to her engagements, so what? Let’s not pretend that we don’t know the rules of the game, here.
