Obama in Montana
Presidential Visit Makes Big Sky Proud
President Obama and his entourage made some friends this weekend at Big Sky Resort.
By Jonathan Weber, 8-16-09
When the news broke a couple of weeks ago that President Obama would visit Bozeman for a town hall meeting and then travel with his family to Yellowstone Park, there was a frenzy of rumor about where, exactly, the First Family would go and where they would stay. Some reports had him fishing at the Sun Ranch and staying at the elite Yellowstone Club. Others suggested they’d overnight in the Park.
In the end, though, the Presidential entourage ended up at the Summit Hotel at Big Sky Resort, a modern, 10-story hotel at the base of Lone Mountain that’s high-end but casual. Michelle and Sasha and Malia went whitewater rafting on the Gallatin River Friday afternoon while the President went fly fishing, and they then had a quiet dinner at the hotel and toasted some marshmallows over a bonfire. The next morning they left by car for Yellowstone - all in all, an itinerary not too different from what any upper-middle-class family might have done with one day of vacation in Southwest Montana.
For the staff of Big Sky Resort, though, and for public safety and law enforcement agencies and various lucky merchants in Big Sky, Friday and Saturday were about as far from routine as could be. Taylor Middleton, general manager of Big Sky Resort, recounted in an interview Sunday that the experience was both exhilarating and a bit surreal.
“The Resort was contacted about three weeks ago, and we were sworn to secrecy - they didn’t even tell me until about a week later,” Middleton said. The information flow was deliberately limited, for security reasons, and Middleton said at times they they knew “just enough to freak us out, but not enough that we could know exactly what to do.”
What kind of food should they prepare, and for how many people? How many rooms would be needed? Would they be coming by car, or helicopter? And when, exactly?
“We ultimately had 400 rooms reserved,” said Middleton, noting that there were various entities within the Presidential entourage - security, press, admin staff, culinary staff - and their arrangements were “somewhat coordinated and somewhat uncoordinated.”
In the run-up to the President’s stay, there were various “red herrings” that appeared to be part of the plan to keep everything secret, Middleton said. In the end, Michelle and Malia and Sasha arrived at about 2:30 Friday afternoon and, undeterred by thunderstorms, immediately turned around and headed off for the rafting trip, with Geyser Whitewater. The President, after a few hours of fly fishing (the location of which still has not been fully confirmed) arrived at about 7:00. Middleton said the motorcade pulled into the garage, and the President made eye contact with him, got out of the car and, well-briefed, said: “You must be Taylor” and then greeted the hotel’s senior staff.
The other guests at the Summit Hotel, including a wedding party and participants in an oncology conference, were allowed to stay, though there was apparently no casual mingling with the President. The First Family ate in their room, though hotel kitchen was offered the honor of preparing the meal.
Middleton said the President, his family and the giant entourage “were the most gracious and kind and respectful a group as I have ever seen. We deal with groups all the time, that’s what we do, and they were so gracious.” The President, he said, made a point of asking “has my staff been behaving themselves?”
The visit was an economic stimulus package all its own for the Gallatin Valley, though Middleton did say the White House had “negotiated a hard bargain” on the hotel rates. Restaurants in Bozeman were reportedly especially busy for several days, and everyone from aircraft fuel suppliers to local law enforcement agencies got a whole lot of extra business.
Middleton was clearly thrilled with the whole experience, and was effusive in his praise of the staff and the exceptional job everyone had done over what promises to be a long-remembered couple of days. “To see the whole community come together and honor the presidency and the unique history...everybody is going to be part of that history.”
Glad the prez and his family was able to see and relax in "Big Sky" Country (some of the most scenic country in the U.S.) if only for a few hours.
Comment By JetMech, 8-16-09I know I was proud of the dissenters that showed up.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/nation/story/D05D4A6FA4672A518625761400088273?OpenDocument
You still out there, jetty? What are you batting now, about 0! Yep. That little Iraq war thingy that you were SO sure was gonna work out right doesn't seem to have lived up to your expectations. Why should health care??? Like all little rightwing wackjobs, you're wrong all the time. Sorry to be so blunt.
Comment By troy, 8-17-09Whether or not you believe in the current administration, having the President of the United States in your back yard is a bit of a thrill.
Comment By guest, 8-17-09I respect the President and his family for taking part in the local culture. It's great that he tried flyfishing for the first time and that his wife and kids went rafting. Also that he visited the national parks. It sends a good message about getting kids outdoors away from tv.
Comment By Ann, 8-18-09I agree with Troy.
No matter who the President is. The position deserves respect, and the pilots, et. al. deserve a Standing at attention Salute.
Not often does the chinking fall from the log walls, because of the vibration that I'm not ready to shoot the culprit out of the air. BUT this time it wasn't the Department of Livestock, and their Cronies, it was Marine One, and their entourage. A pretty darned impressive sight. One I won't forget any time soon.
Sorry about that Fighter Jet stuff... it was all for charity... :)
Comment By Babs, 8-22-09Is it my imagination that the president, his wife and kids have been on vacation for the past 8 months??? hmmm, let's see, an airplane trip back to Chicago to eat at their favorite restaurants and probably visit their cronie friends like Bill Ayers and Rev Wright, then the huge, super expensive night out on Broadway in NYC. They were at the Big Sky resort and now are staying at a $300,000 000 house on Martha's Vineyard..... Are any of the major networks reporting all of this crap? When is he going to work? Governing the country should be his priority. but what would he know, because all that he ever was was a COMMUNITY ORGANIZER!!!!!
Comment By MamaClaire, 8-22-09How exciting for all of you and the graciousness displayed by the majority is fitting of Montanans. It's clear the First Family had a spectacular time and touched the hearts of many.
http://www.obama-mamas.com/blog/?p=356
As to his accomplishments, they are so extensive that the list is impossible to duplicate here. I challenge Babs, and others, to actually click the link and see for themselves.
http://www.obama-mamas.com/obama-accomplishments.htm
The hysterical part of the health care obstructionists is that we all know that nobody likes their health insurance. We've all listened to our right wing friends and family fight for a needed test or take out a loan to pay a deductible. Nearly everyone is afraid of losing a job more because of the health insurance than the paycheck. And self-employed people are all one health crisis away from bankruptcy. What in the world are they fighting?
http://www.obama-mamas.com/health-care.html
The Obama Mama website only shows "accomplishments"(I don't call them accomplisments) since 2009. There weren't any prior to 2009, EXCEPT for letting aborted babies die, if still living after being aborted, up to the 8th month of pregnancy. Since Obama doesn't know when life begins, remember he said that was above his paygrade, that tells me that he has no concern about life, thus enter his healthcare. You are so blinded by this man who mimics a messiah. Do me a favor and tune into FOX news beginning with Glenn Beck and ending with Greta Van Sustern. Maybe your blinded eyes will begin to see that this administration is taking us down the road to communism. Who has CZARS running their country????? Communistic countries do and so do we. Doesn't that frighten anyone? I am a converted democrat and I am so proud to now be a conservative republican. Who wants to pay more taxes in order to insure illegal aliens? I don't. Why would you?
Comment By MamaClaire, 8-24-09Just for the record,
Obama's Illinois Legislative Record
http://www.obama-mamas.com/blog/?page_id=5
Obama's US Senate Record
http://www.obama-mamas.com/blog/?page_id=4
Republicans are a riot. The only people who are so easily duped that they would literally cut off their own foot if Glenn Beck told them illegal aliens are getting into the country because of feet!
Health Care Reform is about eliminating pre-existing conditions. It's about getting most working families a subsidy so everyone can afford to have coverage. It's about capping co-pays and annual expenses to eliminate bankruptcies. It's about saying that there's nothing socialist about Medicare or allowing people to choose to participate in a health program like that. It's about changing the means of paying doctors which has a tendency to end malpractice suits. News flash, Medicaid pays for abortions when women's pregnancies threaten their life now. Another news flash, one of the major reasons US based businesses can't compete is the cost of health care. If we don't do something, we're hurting business and the economy.
Honestly. This country can't afford the ignorance anymore. Shut Off Fox News and read the actual legislation for a change.
http://www.obama-mamas.com/health-care.html
But Babs, no one is proposing covering illegal aliens. That's just a fabrication being spread by your friends on the far right who hate Obama for whatever reasons. Pay attention if you want to discuss thie issues!
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