Melissa is the convention services director at her city's civic (convention) center. The center has been contracted to host a large press conference to announce the intention of the Republican senator representing her state to run for reelection. Despite Melissa's best efforts, the senator's office is very unhappy with the physical condition of the civic center. "This is awful," says the senator's chief of staff. "The carpet is worn and the interiors need painting. This isn't how the center looked six years ago when we booked our reelection announcement speech. It's too late to move the press conference now, but there is no way the senator is paying the contracted amount for this space. It's just six years after we selected you, and now the conditions are terrible! Despite the fact that the civic center is, indeed, six years older than it was at the time of the contract signing, it is not materially different, and Melissa suspects that the complaint about the condition of the facilities is merely a ploy, initiated by the senator's chief of staff, to receive a reduction on the senator's conference services bill.

Assume that you are Melissa, discuss what your response would be to the senator's aside.