Plan Your Meetings

Join the discussion

1. John Collins Says:
   June 16, 2009 at 1:09 pm

   Ben is so right. It will be interesting to see his reaction at MPIWEC when they present an award to Obama for America. What are they thinking? I figured the meeting industry would give him an award right before the coal industry, I guess there are some that believe politics are more important than the industry as a whole.

1. Kristi Sanders Says:
   June 16, 2009 at 5:13 pm

   Maybe they’re trying to stay on the admin’s good side?

   In the Bill Marriott/Neil Cavuto interview I saw and wrote about a couple of weeks ago, when the industry leaders sat down with the president and told him how hurtful his comments had been to the industry, Marriott said Obama expressed remorse and said that wasn’t his intention. They asked Obama to come out publicly in support of the industry. He said industries always asked him to do so and so he couldn’t just come out and give his support, but if asked about it, he would say he supported the industry. And, the next day there was a press conference in which his press secretary said the administration supported tourism. We definitely have seen more positive stories in the media since then (whether or not that had anything to do with it).

   And immediately after that meeting, the industry leaders met with Sen. Kerry and some others. Subsequently legislators dropped the language that would have made it illegal for TARP recipients to hold meetings, incentives or conventions without Treasury approval.

   But I agree with you, John, that Obama for America is a curious choice for a WEC award recipient. When I read the press release I didn’t see anything in there that I thought was particularly note- or newsworthy.

1. Kristi Sanders Says:
   June 16, 2009 at 5:21 pm

   And if you plan for a TARP-recipient company, here’s a link to the new regulations and a toolkit you can use: http://www.meetingsmeanbusiness.com/news-resources/rules-toolkit