I realize that presidents stay in hotels just like anyone else when they travel, but I never really considered that they used the hotel facilities just like any other schmo business traveler does.
But I guess you gotta stay in shape somehow, and if you’re staying in nice hotels like the president does, you probably get access to some pretty nice gyms and things. Gyms that don’t have crappy TVs on the treadmill that are fuzzy all the time and only get, like, four channels so you end up watching “Pardon the Interruption” or “Around the Horn” even though those shows fill you with despair and hopelessness for the prospects of the human race.
In any event, Obama was in New York yesterday, as were the Boston Red Sox. And they were all staying at the Palace Hotel. As is his habit, Red Sox interim manager Torey Lovullo went down to work out yesterday morning and there in the gym was Obama, working out too. And they had a little photo op. The photo, seen above, was circulated by the Associated Press and Boston Globe, was taken by Reds GM Mike Hazen.
According to Pete Abraham’s story in the Globe, Luvollo said the President talked baseball with him and that “He’s fairly dialed in to what’s happening in major league baseball.” He also said Obama was “a strong man,” who was using the same free weights Luvollo was and that they were heavy for the Sox’ manager.
All of that is fun, but I’m still stuck on Obama using hotels just like ordinary business travelers do. It makes me wonder if he does things like charge a $9 egg sandwich to his room at the Courtyard Marriott breakfast counter even though he knows it’s a total ripoff simply because he doesn’t want to put real pants on to go to a restaurant. It makes me wonder if he clicks on “yes” for the super-premium wi-fi at the Westin and then feels guilty later because all he used it for was to check email and stuff. It makes me wonder if he orders a whole pizza to his room, eats the whole dang thing on the bed while watching a movie for the 50th time on HBO and then falls asleep with a weird combination of self-loathing, homesickness and heartburn.
Um, not that I’m describing anyone’s specific business travel habits. No sir.
