(Jake Turcotte)
Breaking Obama news: Selection of First Dog is imminent
By Jimmy Orr | 01.11.09
It’s one of the most important picks President-elect Barack Obama can make. Joe Biden already proved that if mishandled, it can create a firestorm of controversy.
We’re not talking about the CIA Director or the Surgeon General. This pick, if botched, could land him in the doghouse –literally.
It’s all about the First Dog. You remember, Obama promised his daughters if he won the election he’d get ‘em a dog.
The Barney replacement
Obama and George Stephanopoulos were talking about the selection of First Dog this morning on ABC’s This Week. Now, Obama’s family hasn’t made a decision yet, but they’ve narrowed it down to two breeds.
“They seem to have narrowed it down to a Labradoodle or a Portuguese water hound,” he said.
No Joe Biden
And unlike his vice president — who raised the ire of animal rights activists everywhere when he purchased a dog from a breeder — Obama hasn’t flip-flopped. He’s always said he would get a pound puppy.
“We’re now going to start looking at shelters to see when one of those dogs might come up,” Obama said.
Once-in-a-lifetime
Oh yeah, something else momentous happened during this discussion. Obama told a joke.
Late night comics have agonized over the prospects of an Obama presidency. It’s not that they don’t like him, it’s just they think he’s kind of bland. He’s hard to lampoon.
Well the Bland One said something funny when Stephanopoulos asked him for a timetable on the selection.
“We’re closing in on it,” Obama said. “This has been tougher than finding a Commerce Secretary.”
Let’s just hope, unlike Bill Richardson, Obama can hold on to this pick.
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2. R | 01.11.09
Of all of the moronic, innane and completely useless issues that can be written about, this has to be the most moronic and innane. Whichever editor assigned this subject should immediately be fired.
Is there any concern over Israel, Gaza, Iraq or even the domestic economy? You people are purly without brains. PERIOD!
3. First pup | 01.11.09
Let Obama know which he should go for: http://www.nameobamaspuppy.com/choosebreed.htm.
4. Ginny G | 01.11.09
It’s a portugese water DOG - not hound - and they are the best!!! Smart, funny, good for kids with allergies - and the most loving dogs on the planet!
5. edwards | 01.11.09
No matter what it’s breed or name, to official Washington (and the Secret Service) it will be known as FDOTUS (First Dog of the US)… see fdotus.com
7. Max Jaffee | 01.11.09
The selection of a Secretary of Commerce is not to be taken lightly (although it has apparently been too often used as a Popularity Contest for those on Administration A Lists). One of the reasons, but hardly not the only one, is this: The main function of the Department of Commerce is to foster, promote and develop the foreign and domestic commerce of the United States. Just how wide and deep is the breadth of its powers? It’s one of the most critical of all of the functions that comes directly under the Office of the President. And, as we all well better know right now, it’s purpose is to make our economy strong and keep our country prosperous and in a major sense allows our citizens to attain and enjoy the fruits of The American Dream. We could make all this happen if that office was functioning ideally, In our present economic dilemma, it’s time to think about how did we end up in this shambles of financial disaster and see its connection with the Department of Commerce? First and foremost, we must wake up to the fact that
Commerce has historically been the lifeblood of our economy and our country.
What happens when a Secretary of Commerce falls far short of his obligations to his Department’s mission? Just one example of such neglect is corporate profiteering in the form of foreign outsourcing of jobs and closure of American manufacturing facilities. That started in the 1980s and still keeps eating away at our economy. That was a monster at the gate that costs billions of dollars yearly and keeps growing worse. We can slay that monster by taking the office of Secretary of Commerce very seriously. Now is the time to do it with Governor Richardson declining to accept the appointment. It’s still a vacancy on the Obama agenda if this message reaches him in time. It is essential the job needs to be filled by a unique man of vision and a sensational track record of getting difficult things done right and expeditiously. The new Secretary of Commerce must bring back as much as possible of those industrial and commercial resources that have been handed over the last 25 years to foreign countries. Let these job opportunities come back and be performed within our own borders.
Who should be appointed is critical to allow this miracle to happen. I hereby suggest that strong consideration of the following individuals who have the creative and aggressive drive and the proven dedication necessary to make things happen to bring back this industrial revitalization that used to be our bread and butter. We must hot only put an end to foreign outsourcing but make it closely subject to federal oversight and viable regulation. My personal nominees for the office of Secretary of Commerce are: 1. General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, 2. Jack Welch, 3. John Glenn, 5. Lee Iacocca, 6. Al Gore or 7. Warren Beatty. No particular order.
10. MJ Baughman | 01.11.09
A man true to his word. My suggestion for the family dog is the Labradoodle. I have had a lab and toy poodles, they are both wonderful dogs.
11. Anrkist | 01.11.09
Keep sending us the most important news… thanks. It sounds like Max Jaffee has some serious stuff to talk about, might want to give him an outlet, otherwise his brain might explode with off-topic information.
13. all4one | 01.11.09
Obama is missing the whole point of rescuing a dog from the pound. Give me a break… Its all for publicity -otherwise he would have said to his daughters “hey even if i DON’T win the election- i’ll get you a dog from the pound.” So, did he ever say THAT?… AGAIN- Give me a break. He’s a joke.
14. Joe Schmoe | 01.11.09
Hopefully this is just a satirical article. Who the @#$@#$@# cares about Obama’s dog? Really people….
15. Patricia Maden | 01.11.09
As PWD owners, there is nothing bad to say about this breed. They are loyal, funny, smart, energetic, great with kids, clean,quiet, non-shedding, hypoallergenic dogs. A bit chewy as puppies, but grow out of it. Potential owners have to qualify as responsible, patient, loving people. I suspect the Obama family would pass the test!
16. Dave | 01.12.09
It isn’t that Obama doesn’t have a sense of humor. In fact, he’s very funny sometimes. It’s that there isn’t a lot to laugh AT him for or to make jokes ABOUT him, silly.
17. Ann | 01.12.09
I’m sure he’s well-intentioned, saying he’s going to get a Portugese Water Dog “when one comes up” in the local shelter, but who is he kidding? These are bred and sold for thousands of dollars! They don’t just “come up” in a shelter, though I imagine there would be someone who would be willing to “drop one off” at the pound so that the Obamas could adopt it! All kinds of people do all kinds of stupid things!
19. Max Jaffee | 01.12.09
Attention: Dog Lovers. Yes I too am a dog lover and I submitted my comments on the urgency of President-Elect Obama appointing a reliable aggressive Secretary of Commerce to the wrong dog pen. Well, we need a pitbull to pull us out of the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression. Go back and read my misplaced blog and forget about Obama’s dog for a moment and get serious about our wonderful country. I’ll admit I inadvertently was barking up the wrong tree. If you agree with me, go to the Obama Transition Team website and tell them how important the appointment of a real Secretary of State who can get things done properly and expeditiously. Every bark helps!
20. Max Jaffee | 01.12.09
Yes I too am a dog lover and I submitted my comments on the urgency of President-Elect Obama appointing a reliable aggressive Secretary of Commerce to the wrong department. Well, we need a pitbull to pull us out of the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression. Go back and read my misplaced blog. If you agree with me, go to the Obama Transition Team website and tell them how important the appointment of a real Secretary of State who can get things done properly and expeditiously. Then go back to comments about Obama’s dog. Or, if your dog is straining at the leash, take him for a walk knowing you have done a great service for our country.
21. dennis talasco | 01.12.09
I’m an animal lover but I voted for Obama anyway. He’s no animal lover, that’s for sure or else he’d already have 3 or 4 rescued dogs like most of the rest of us do. Hopefully the dog they get will soften his heart toward
animals. I don’t think he’s a cruel person, just someone who’s never given
any thought to animals….and as I said, hopefully that will change.
22. Nicole Stefanini c/o | 01.12.09
I am a dogwalker in Manhattan and I strongly recommend that the First Dog should be a female Portuguese water dog, curly hair, not waivy; they are the most loving, sweet, and intelligent dogs I’ve ever met in my career. Most importantly, they don’t shed, which is a plus for Obama’s elder daughter who is allergic. I further suggest some names: midnight, daybreak, Lincoln, and Vivien (after Vivien Theodore Thomas, a black hospital technician and the first person to perform open heart surgery, but who was classified and paid as a janitor by Johns Hopkins for many years before being given an honorary degree.) Looking forward to your choice soon. Respectfully, Nicole Stefanini
23. M Mallory | 01.13.09
PWD and a rescue, not a pound dog like thelma eberle says above! The Labradoodle is two breeds, and Labs DO shed, so not a guarantee. Have had 2 PWD’s and they are characters! Tell Malia and Sasha to go visit Sunny and Splash!
24. KD | 01.14.09
Hey Thelma & M.! I’m a rescuer…where do you think WE rescue dogs from? At least our dogs are safe from euthanasia unlike those in the pound. We spend half our time tagging dogs in pounds to keep them from dying. Obama would just be cutting out the middle man.
25. Chayse | 01.14.09
I’m with KD on this one. I network for shelters/pounds & send info on their urgent animals out to various rescue groups. Some of our dogs come from puppy mills, some straight off the streets, but a great deal come from pounds where they’ll die otherwise. I think its great Obama is getting one from a pound - at least he’s keeping one from being gassed. Rescue appreciates it.
26. J Jewell | 01.15.09
While I feel pounds and rescues have a job to do, I strongly feel that they support continued irresponsibility among people who “contribute” to the pounds with their unwanted animals. People who buy “throw away” pets believe that they can just dump their unwanted pet away to the pound and the pet will find another great home..well that just isn’t so…a large percentage of pets end up being euthanized ( and not so humanely). To urge people to adopt from pounds only perpetuates this insane reasoning. Let’s spend the money to provide free and mandatory spays and neuters of all mixed breeds and dogs sold strictly as pets. Micro chip the rest and fine anyone whose offspring ends in a pound, including the “contributor”. Do this for the next 5 years and there would be no need for perpetual pound puppy mills and killing fields. The current situation is akin to bailing water out of a sinking ship rather than fix the leak in the first place..
27. BullPooch | 01.19.09
Selecting a dog falls into the category of “Fun”. Allow the matter to be fun for the “First Family” and support our new President. He has earned the Nation’s support……Life is Good
28. Maassive | 01.19.09
The Portuguese Water Dog lobby has a connection to Obama: DNC delegate Gaye Pollitt. SFReeper.com has the interview:
http://www.sfreeper.com/2009/01/19/portuguesewaterdog/
30. Robert Bodey | 02.25.09
Big dogs are for grown up big people. Little dogs are for little girls. Why doesn’t the “First Family” borrow a dog for a weekend trial with thte “First Family”. I’d put the “Yorkie ” against any dog for a truly “Kids Friendly Best Dog”. Hands down the Yorkie will win for companionship, love and overall obediance, affection and companionship. Let the kids trial and compare, but most of all let them choose!!!!!!!!!!!
31. judy richter | 03.20.09
so what if it’s stupid to talk about this. it’s alot more fun than whining about the economy all the time. lighten up people!
33. judy richter | 03.20.09
I vote for the miniature schnauzer. now there’s a cool dog! a little yappy though,
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Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. j bressie | 01.11.09
a rescue dog, a pound puppy; way to go