Jones Beene <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Well the first and most-hugest decision for Obama will be ... ta da... > officially finding and designating the "First Dog" ...
That's what Obama said, in his first press conference today: "With respect to the dog, this is a major issue. I think it's generated more interest on our website than just about anything. We have -- we have two criteria that have to be reconciled. One is that Malia is allergic, so it has to be hypo-allergenic. There are a number of breeds that are hypo-allergenic. On the other hand, our preference would be to get a shelter dog. But obviously, a lot of shelter dogs are mutts, like me. So the -- so, whether we're going to be able to balance those two things, I think, is a pressing issue on the Obama household." http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/11/presidentelect_obama_first_pre.html When the President-elect casually refers to himself as a "mutt" you know that we are living a new era. I have been studying this man for some time. People have strange notions about him. Early in the year some said he was weak, indecisive or "an empty suit." That was before he blew the Clinton machine out of the water. He is, in fact, an old-school, hard-boiled, opportunistic Chicago pol. Honorable but tough. I expect this is an accurate portrait of the man -- "Making It: Where Barack Obama learned to be a pol" http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/21/080721fa_fact_lizza Some [Obama supporters] might find this shocking and disappointing, but I am glad to read it. A person less tough could not be an effective president. - Jed
