The Tale of Four Seasons Total Landscaping: A Bizarre Moment in American History
A Small Business in the Northeastern Reaches of Philadelphia
Until the morning of November 7, 2020, Four Seasons Total Landscaping was just another small business off Interstate 95 in the far northeastern reaches of Philadelphia. If not for the incompetence of then-President Trump’s campaign staff, it would have remained as anonymous as the neighboring auto body shops and check-cashing stores.
A Press Conference Gone Wrong
But the business earned an unlikely place in the history books when Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, staged a bizarre press conference on the property — just as TV networks began to call the election for Joe Biden. Standing in front of a green cinder block garage papered in Trump-Pence signs, a bright yellow garden hose within arm’s reach, the once-revered mayor of New York announced plans to file lawsuits in multiple states and painted Philadelphia, a Democratic stronghold in a pivotal swing state, as a den of corruption where the election was being stolen from Trump in broad daylight.
A Surge in Voting by Mail
He claimed, among other things, that long-dead people, like the boxing great Joe Frazier — who died in 2011 — continued to vote in the city. In reality, the pandemic had led to a surge in voting by mail, particularly by Democrats. So as millions of those ballots were methodically tallied, what had appeared to be a lead for Trump steadily eroded.
The Mystery of the Press Conference
Roughly 30 minutes into his rambling, Giuliani was informed that the race had been called for Biden. Everything about the event was hard to believe — most especially the location. Why had the Trump campaign chosen a dusty industrial lot in a grimy corner of Philly for this grave announcement? Surely, this was supposed to take place at the Four Seasons? As in, the hotel?
A Miscommunication or a Strategic Choice?
The evidence pointed to some miscommunication in the campaign. Earlier that morning, Trump had tweeted, "Lawyers Press Conference at Four Seasons, Philadelphia. 11 AM," seemingly referring to the luxury accommodation in Center City. But he quickly deleted the message, and posted a revised tweet at 9:45 am: "Big press conference today in Philadelphia at Four Seasons Total Landscaping — 11:30am!" The confusion triggered a flurry of jokes on social media, and even prompted the Four Seasons Hotel to issue a tweet: "To clarify, President Trump’s press conference will NOT be held at Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia. It will be held at Four Seasons Total Landscaping — no relation with the hotel."
The Aftermath
To this day, the question of how the press conference wound up where it did, a stone’s throw from Fantasy Island Adult Bookstore and the Delaware Valley Crematorium, remains one of the great mysteries of American history, along with the whereabouts of Jimmy Hoffa. Many assumed the booking was a mistake made by a frazzled advance staffer who called the wrong Four Seasons. But according to reports at the time, the campaign intentionally booked Four Seasons Total Landscaping because of its proximity to I-95. Trump heard the words "Four Seasons" and assumed it was the hotel — which, to be fair, was a logical conclusion.
A Turning Point in American History
Over the coming days, the owners of Four Seasons Total Landscaping did their patriotic duty and cashed in on their temporary notoriety, selling souvenirs to commemorate the fiasco; to Trump’s detractors, the debacle epitomized the clownish incompetence that had defined his presidency.
Conclusion
The event has grown less funny with time. As a viral phenomenon, it has been eclipsed by another moment from that Saturday — the phone call in which Vice President Kamala Harris, wearing workout gear, sunglasses, and a messy ponytail, proclaimed "We did it, Joe!" her voice straining with excitement and exhaustion, after the election was called for Biden. But it’s the delusion and mendacity on display at Giuliani’s press conference that have more powerfully shaped American political culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What was the location of the press conference?
A: The press conference was held at Four Seasons Total Landscaping, a small business off Interstate 95 in the far northeastern reaches of Philadelphia.
Q: Why did the Trump campaign choose this location?
A: The evidence points to some miscommunication in the campaign. The Trump campaign may have intentionally booked Four Seasons Total Landscaping because of its proximity to I-95.
Q: What was the outcome of the election?
A: The election was called for Joe Biden, and Trump ultimately lost the election.
Q: What was the significance of the event?
A: The event marked a turning point in American history, as it highlighted the delusion and mendacity on display at Giuliani’s press conference, which led to the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and has since hardened into belief among many Republicans that Biden’s 2020 win was illegitimate.
