Saint Paul 2008

Our fine friends at City Hall Scoop have detailed some of the infighting that’s already taking place, two years ahead of the RNC convention.

One of the commitments the cities, the local host committee and Meet Minneapolis made as part of our bid was there will be no price gouging and all area businesses will be given fair and equal treatment.

Fair and equal treatment, huh? Somehow we get the feeling that certain businesses will be treated more fairly and equally than others. Call it a hunch. (Note to intern: find out what current room rates are for the large hotels nearest the Xcel Energy Center, to compare with room rates at the time of the convention.)

…there will be carpetbaggers and unethical companies that will try to take advantage of the RNC 2008 Political Convention. This is no different than the Super Bowl or the Final Four. To quote Bill Hanvik, former Executive Director of the NCAA Men’s Final Four, “all great events are like great ships, they all have barnacles”.

Take advantage of the RNC 2008 convention? I can’t believe anyone would dare do that. Don’t they know about Minnesota Nice? Perhaps they do, and the comment about “carpetbaggers” refers to, say, KBR or Halliburton. Sorry, is croneyism not a family-friendly subject?

Is this site a barnacle? Don’t be ridiculous. We’re lean, mean, and fast. Okay, lean, amiable, and fast… it’s that Minnesota Nice thing at work.