So it makes sense that the CEO of Wasatch Property Management decided to proclaim his support for President Bush's Utah visit by placing a banner on one of his downtown Salt Lake City office buildings.

The banner, which reads "Thank You President Bush - You Are Our Hero," is hanging on a ground floor window of the Ken Garff Building at 405 S. Main St. framed by U.S. flags.

Hansen said in a statement he attended Bush's speech and considered the banner to be "a show of good manners" as well as "good business."

The only problem: most of the building's tenants say they are politically neutral. And while none said they were demanding the sign be taken down, some aren't exactly crazy about the effusive praise.

San Francisco-based banking giant Wells Fargo & Co., for example, which operates a ground floor retail branch in the building, said the company would never make a public display of affection for the 43rd president.

"We absolutely do not take a stance on political and social issues," said Mark Chapman, Wells Fargo spokesman. The banner "puts us in a precarious position because it's so close to our branch," he said.

Michael Townsley, president of the Salt Lake City campus of Eagle Gate College, which occupies part of the Ken Garff building, stressed that the banner was put up "by the building owner" and that "we are simply a tenant."

Garff Enterprises, which occupies the building in a business partnership with Hansen's Wasatch Property Management, also stressed that they did not put up the sign and like the other tenants, do not take political stances.

"We are completely neutral on this stuff," said Steve King, marketing and creative director for Ken Garff Automotive Group.

"We're like the Swiss; we're hanging in there like a neutral country."

Hansen said Salt Lake City was lucky to be chosen to host the American Legion convention and their "guest of honor."

"It is a very large economic development opportunity for Utah to host such a remarkable, peaceful group of people, who bring a large amount of money into our hotels, restaurants and shops," Hansen said.

lesley@sltrib.com