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Why Is Obama Snubbing the Arizona Biltmore?

The new InterContinental Montelucia

Fun fact: Every president since Herbert Hoover has stayed at the Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix. It's also where former presidential hopeful John McCain married Cindy in 1980, and, of course, where the McCain/Palin camp watched Obama secure the presidency on election night back in November.

It's not really any surprise that John McCain chose to avoid the Biltmore when selecting an Arizona venue to hold a fundraiser to launch his campaign for a fifth Senate term (maybe some bad memories there?), but hearing the news that President Obama is skipping out on the Biltmore on his next trip to AZ is raising eyebrows 'round here.

In fact, John McCain chose the new Intercontinental Montelucia Resort in Paradise Valley to kick off his senatorial campaign instead — and, interestingly enough, The Arizona Republic is reporting that this is also where Obama is going to be staying when he hits up Arizona. And their visits might coincide. Whoops.

We get why McCain's avoiding the Biltmore, but why would Obama choose the three-month-old Montelucia? Was it the dirty glasses at the Biltmore? Or was he just doin' like he do and breaking out of the traditional presidential mold?

Election 2008 Hotels / John McCain / Political Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags

John McCain Concedes Presidency at The Biltmore

Where: 2400 E Missouri Ave [map], Phoenix, AZ, United States, 85016

John McCain is probably never going to go back to the Arizona Biltmore again. Bad memories, we think.

Last night as the polls on the West Coast began to close, the presidential candidate conceded defeat in a poignant speech to supporters on the lawn of the sprawling Phoenix resort just after 10 p.m. CST.

According to Salon, as the rest of the country saw election returns that showed Barack Obama emerging as the clear winner, the McCain supporters gathered on the Biltmore lawn didn't really realize it was over since there were no TV's outside.

But at least they were comfortable! Per Salon:

Most of the people at the Biltmore were wealthy Republican donors, not furious grassroots conservatives, and they seemed to know what the night's outcome would likely be before they arrived. The spread was lavish enough to keep them comfortable; even the Port-a-Potties set up on the lawn seemed extravagantly luxurious, with wood paneling on the walls.

Meanwhile, McCain sat back and watched election returns throughout the evening in the Biltmore's Goldwater Presidential Suite (uh, by the way: wouldn't superstition have stepped in here at some point considering the outcome of the 1964 Goldwater campaign?) before heading out to the lawn to concede the presidency.

Yeah. Surely he won't be hittin' up the Biltmore again anytime soon.

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McCain to Shake Up Election Night Party at the Biltmore

Where: 2400 E Missouri Ave [map], Phoenix, AZ, United States, 85016

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain will be holding the usual election night party at The Biltmore in Phoenix, with press and supporters joining him in his finger-crossing on his big night.

While normally the protocol is for him to stand up in the hotel's ballroom and give a big ol' speech to everyone in attendance at some point during the evening, he has decided to go all out and crazy and shake things up a bit by offering his election night remarks to a small group gathered on the hotel's lawn. Pause for gasps.

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The McCains Seek Refuge at the Little Palm Island Resort

Where: 28500 Overseas Highway [map], Little Torch Key, fl, United States, 33042

When he's not out stumping for the presidency, Republican candidate John McCain and his wife Cindy have a favorite retreat that takes them out of the desert of Arizona. And it sure helps that Cindy's got enough money to pay for it.

The conservative duo like to get their togetherness on at the ritzy Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys. On Jan. 20 of this year, the two camped out for a night in the Cormorant Suite, one of 30 on the private island resort (accessible only by boat or seaplane). But this wasn't their first visit.

The couple has love-nested two previous times at resort where President Harry Truman once stayed (wishful foreshadowing on McCain's part?)

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John McCain Hosting Billionaires at The Plaza Tomorrow Night

Where: 5th Ave. at 59th St. [map], New York, ny, United States, 10019

Republican presidential nominee John McCain is hosting a huge campaign fundraiser tomorrow night at the totally un-affordable and totally unreasonably-priced Plaza Hotel tomorrow night.

However, his supporters may actually be able to cough up the $1,000-a-night room rates.

According to NY Mag, the host committee is a bunch of wealthy and powerful folk---Henry Kissinger, Alfonse D'Amato, Woody Johnson, Georgette Mosbacher, and Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain. And the party will see a rather large showing of billionaires:

From Forbes.com's most recent list, we count five: Henry Kravis (the world's 178th-richest man, worth $5.5 billion), Ray Dalio (worth $4 billion), Louis Bacon (worth $1.7 billion), Marc Rowan (worth $1.5 billion), and Robert Fisher ($1.4 billion). That's a total of over $14 billion in the room with the Republican presidential nominee.

This list has actually left us speechless. $14 billion in one room! Yowza.

Anyways, we take no comfort in the fact that a price for a ticket to this event and thus a campaign contribution to John McCain is the same as one night at the hotel.

[Photo: Daily News Flickr]