Should dogs court the cat vote?

By: Daisy

When two groups fight like cats and dogs, the wisest thing for them to do is keep their distance -- unless you're Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum.
Facing a tight battle with his rival, Mitt Romney, in the Michigan primary Tuesday, Santorum reached out to the opposing side: Democrats! From an automated phone call to Wolverine State voters:

"Romney supported the bailouts for his Wall Street billionaire buddies, but opposed the auto bailouts. That was a slap in the face to every Michigan worker and we’re not going to let Romney get away with it. On Tuesday, join Democrats who are going to send a loud message to Massachusetts' Mitt Romney by voting for Rick Santorum for president."

Romney won the primary, but Santorum‘s gamble paid off. First, Michigan lets Democrats vote in its Republican primary. (I see this as akin to letting cats enter dog shows, but anyway…) Second, Democrats voted for Santorum over Romney, 53 percent to 18 percent. And thirdly, it seems Santorum wants to repeat this strategy in future primaries.
Romney reacted to Santorum’s Michigan ploy like a cornered cat. He yowled about "the dirty tricks of a desperate campaign." I agree. Whether it’s cats and dogs, or Democrats and Republicans, two sides with a history of bitter relations usually clash more than they cooperate … and those who try to reach out the to the other side deserve suspicion.
Take the orange cat I saw yesterday on the North Cambridge bike path. I took one step forward -- and the feline hissed and swatted the air with one paw. Moments later, the kitty darted across the bike path and through a fence. Although I am a peaceful Westie, I understand that this cat acted aggressively because in the past, my fellow dogs must have barked at it ... run after it … maybe even chased it up a tree.
Now take those bailouts of General Motors and Chrysler in 2008 and 2009 that Santorum’s campaign call supported. (We associate them with President Obama, but some also occurred under George W. Bush.) Santorum sang a different tune in the Arizona presidential debate last Wednesday:

"I in principle oppose government coming in and bailing out a sector of the economy or an industry with government dollars and with government manipulation of that market … Which is exactly what happened twice -- in 2008 and 2009."

I hope Democrats who voted Santorum on Tuesday slunk home with their tails between their legs. As for Santorum, if you’re going to court the other side, try to find some true common ground instead of pretending to back a policy you don’t really support. Otherwise you’ll look as silly as -- well, as a dog trying to approach a cat and getting hissed at as a result.

Daisy is a 9-year-old West Highland white terrier living in Cambridge, Mass. Her column runs weekly.

Santorum is GOP 'Yogi'

Santorum-Yoga, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

Recently, a "doga" session was held in Boston for people and their dogs, to benefit the Animal Rescue League, with one yoga expert calling canines well-suited for yoga.
Well, judging from ex-Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum's performance in the 20th GOP presidential debate, in Arizona on Wednesday, it looks like he's also good at stretching (that is, stretching the truth on No Child Left Behind). Read more in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine"!

Terrier: Romney, Gingrich must defend backyards

By: Daisy

This morning, when my ears detected an intrusive cat near my house, I went into DEFCON-4, barking from my perch atop the bed and then jumping onto the floor to continue my vocal barrage. The feline withdrew in defeat with a "Meow."
Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich face "home invasions" of their own ... in their native Michigan and Georgia, respectively. And if they want any credibility with voters (a tough sell in itself), they must win their home-state primaries next Tuesday.
In Michigan, it's ex-Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum on the prowl. The Detroit Free Press reports Romney holds a slim lead over Santorum in two polls -- and Santorum leads Romney in a third.
Meanwhile, Romney himself is encroaching upon Gingrich territory in Georgia. The Savannah Morning News reports Gingrich's lead has shrunk from double digits to just two points over Romney and three points over Santorum, based on a Monday poll.
Why does a mere Westie like myself know enough to defend the homestead, while an ex-governor like Romney and a former House Speaker like Gingrich don't get this? It shows these guys' policies are as unpalatable to their home states as Alpo is to my taste buds.
In Romney's case, he strayed too far afield, saying he opposed President Obama's bailouts of GM and Chrysler. And this from someone who grew up in metro Detroit!
Meanwhile, Georgians are so peeved with Gingrich that they might throw him to the wolves. Of the 11 "Super Tuesday" primaries, the Peachtree State is the only one where Gingrich leads, and not by much. He should show it more love, like singing his own version of "Georgia On My Mind" on YouTube. If he doesn't, Georgia primary voters will have Romney or Santorum on their mind.
I'm sure Romney and Gingrich want to bask in the sunbeam of their home on primary day, just like I'm doing right now. But you can't do it unless you ward off intruders first.

Daisy is a 9-year-old West Highland white terrier living in Cambridge, Mass. Her column runs weekly.

Pit Bull Out of Persia

Iran Pit Bull, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

In last month's Republican presidential debate in Tampa, Congressman Ron Paul of Texas said: "We're blockading (Iran). Can you imagine what we would do if somebody blockaded the Gulf of Meixco? That would be an act of war. So the act of war has already been committed and this is a retaliation."
Hmm ... Paul and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sound like a pair of pit-bull owners, in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine"!

Upon reflection, Mitt NYC protest deserves more kudos

By: Daisy

Maybe I was so focused on rooting for my fellow Westies at the Westminster Kennel Club (WKC) dog show in New York City Tuesday that I got a little too hot under my collar at the anti-Mitt Romney demonstrators outside.
Led by the "Dogs Against Romney" advocacy group, 12 courageous people and several dogs (including a bull terrier and a pug) stood outside the show at Madison Square Garden for about a half-hour to call attention to Romney's putting his Irish setter atop the family station wagon on a cross-country trip in 1983.
In my Tuesday column, I didn't give the protestors much love, saying they should go where Romney is (check Arizona or Michigan, as both have GOP presidential primaries approaching) and not disrupt the venerable dog show. Well, the protestors didn't entirely get some love from passers-by either. The AP reported that one man yelled out "Dogs don't vote!" (No, but our human companions do.) Yet the group did get respect from the American Kennel Club.
"The AKC promotes responsible dog ownership," spokeswoman Lisa Peterson told the AP. "Putting a dog in a crate for car travel is the first step toward responsible dog ownership ... The second step would be to put that crate in a car."
So to "Dogs Against Romney," I say, good work yesterday. Even though a Peke won best in show and no Westies placed in the top four for best of breed, I feel hopeful for the future.

Daisy is a 9-year-old West Highland white terrier living in Cambridge, Mass. Her column runs weekly (and sometimes more, when she has a chance to reflect).

WKC Mitt protest misses the mark

By: Daisy

Let me begin by saying I'm no fan of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Anyone who puts his dog in a crate on the roof of their car on a cross-country drive -- as Mitt reportedly did in 1983 with the family Irish setter, Seamus -- well, Mitt, "you ain't no friend of mine," as Elvis Presley sang in "You Ain't Nothin' But a Hound Dog."
But the "Dogs Against Romney" protest planned for noontime today in New York City has picked the wrong location: The Westminster Kennel Club dog show. "Dogs Against Romney" is an advocacy group that says it doesn't endorse any particular presidential candidate ... but it also says today's protest will "serve to complement" the work of another group, "Pet Lovers for Obama." Well, these groups are barking up the wrong tree.
Today, when attention should be focused on who is best in show (I'm rooting for my fellow Westies, natch) the crowd at Madison Square Garden will see the distracting presence of demonstrators. Worse yet, these demonstrators are protesting a cause that has NOTHING TO DO with the dog show.
From the "Dogs Against Romney" website:

The protest is sponsored by Dogs Against Romney - and will seek to focus more public attention on the fact that Romney forced his dog to ride for 12-hours on the roof of his car - and even coldly hosed the dog down with water after he became ill and frightened, soiling himself - before driving for hours more - all while Romney's luggage rode inside the car.

Yikes! Yet from my cozy sunbeam atop the comforter on my bed in Massachusetts, let me offer the following objective observations to my human friends:
First, you might have some company on the barricades out on Seventh Avenue. PETA has protested the WKC show in the past, for a different and more relevant reason. "PETA's beagle brigade made sure that everyone heard the ugly truth about doggie beauty pageants and the dog-breeding industry," writer Lindsay Pollard-Post noted last year. "They kill shelter dogs' chances."
And second, while you're howling at the moon (or the sun, in this case), your quarry is getting away. It looks like Mitt is NOWHERE NEAR NYC. On Monday he tweeted he was soaking up the sun in Arizona. "Great event yesterday in Mesa," his campaign tweeted, "and look forward to being back for more campaigning & the CNN debate."
So I will sum up by telling "Dogs Against Romney" that if they really want to hound Mitt, they should go after the candidate ... and leave the show dogs alone.

Daisy is a 9-year-old West Highland white terrier living in Cambridge, Mass. Her column appears weekly.

'A Bone to Pick' with Foreclosure Settlement

Foreclosure Settlement, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

First the good news: The government reached a $25 billion settlement with five fat-cat banks (Ally Financial, Bank of America, Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo) for their foreclosure practices. Now the bad news: When that money gets divvied up, all that 750,000 or so people who lost their homes will get is a paltry $2,000 check each. Time to issue a howl of protest, in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine"!

Mitt should've expected this 3-dog fight

By: Daisy

Fellow canines may sympathize with the smallest member of a multiple-dog household, who sees their food dish placed on the floor, only to have a more aggressive dog swoop in and gulp it down.
This happened to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who wants to be the GOP nominee for president. No sooner had he thought his status was secure after winning the Florida primary, one of his rivals, ex-Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, barged in and won primary contests in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri.
This gives the GOP dogfight a new dynamic. Many so-called human "experts" said it was a two-man race between Romney and ex-House Speaker Newt Gingrich ... even after Romney kicked Gingrich's butt in Florida ... and even after we learned Santorum, not Romney, won the primary that started it all: Iowa. Yes, Rick Santorum has made this a three-dog fight.
Santorum's alpha-dog qualities helped him push forward. Look at the Tampa, Fla. debate of Jan. 23. Santorum confronted his two main foes, saying:

"My question to Governor Romney and to Speaker Gingrich, if you believe in capitalism that much, then why did you support the bailout of Wall Street, where you had an opportunity to allow destructive capitalism to work, to allow a failure of a -- of a system that needed to fail because people did things that in capitalism pay -- you pay a price?"

Santorum is bellicose in speeches, too. He celebrated his three most recent successes by mocking Romney's approach to the nomination, saying, "Gov. Romney's best attribute is, 'I've got the most money and the best organization.'"
So now the GOP has a "Three Dog Night." It would be instructive to explain the origins of this band name. On cold nights in Australia, it is reportedly an aboriginal custom to dig a hole and sleep with one of my "rels," a dingo. When the mercury drops, you sleep with two dogs ... and when it's freezing, you bring three.
Santorum's coldhearted attacks might freeze out Romney's hopes. Yet if this becomes the political climate for the GOP primaries, the party will freeze out "warm fuzzy"types like myself.

Daisy is a 9-year-old West Highland white terrier living in Cambridge, Mass. Her column runs weekly.

Obama shows Bo some love

President Obama is showing he would never put First Dog Bo on the roof of his car like GOP presidential aspirant Mitt Romney once did.
Monday, Obama adviser David Axelrod tweeted a photo of the president sitting with his Portuguese water dog in a vehicle. It looks like the Commander-in-Chief kept a firm grip while thoughtfully helping Bo look out the window. Axelrod added a description: "How loving owners transport their dogs."
Is Obama really showing some love here? It looks like the window is closed, which would be the responsible thing to do ... and Bo clearly has his leash on, but we don't know if he's harnessed to anything. The Edmunds.com car website has tips for driving with dogs, including the advice of expert veterinarian Dr. Kimberly May. "May says that the best restraint for dogs is a good harness and a seatbelt," Edmunds contributor Barbara Chuck wrote last year.
The photo is certainly a world away from what Romney did almost 30 years ago: put his Irish setter Seamus in a crate atop the family station wagon on a cross-country trip. Poor Seamus had some hygiene problems from his perch.
Obama has also unveiled a "Pet Lovers for Obama" site, picking up where one of Romney's GOP rivals, Newt Gingrich, left off. Gingrich has a "Pets With Newt 2012" site.
One wonders if Axelrod's, Obama's and Gingrich's moves all represent a double-dog dare to Romney to step forward and address his dog-on-roof controversy head-on.

In Cod We Bust

John Kerry-Mass Cod Cartoon, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

Massachusetts' cod industry is reportedly overfished, yet Democratic Sen. John Kerry wants fishermen to keep plundering his state's cod harvest. The Political Pets -- one of them, at least -- urge caution in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine."

Terrier: Newt should have passed up Fla. dogfight

By: Daisy

Tuesday night, I tracked the Florida Republican presidential primary via Sirius XM satellite radio (what better brand name than the Dog Star!). Seeking a respite, I tuned in to a station called "Fox News," thinking it would provide information about the creatures we Westies were raised to hunt in Scotland. Imagine my surprise when it contained more primary coverage ... and from a right-wing angle, too!
However, my ears perked up when a Newt Gingrich supporter and ex-Oklahoma Congressman, J.C. Watts, used a dog-related proverb to explain why mean Republicans like Mitt Romney (who won the primary) and Rick Santorum were attacking Newt. "Dogs don't bark at parked cars," Watts said.
Well, Newt certainly had all the momentum heading into Florida, and it was this momentum that prompted his rivals to start yipping and yapping at him. But sometimes when you're goaded into a dogfight, the wisest thing to do is back away. Instead, Newt did the opposite. He yipped and yapped right back, and wound up losing control. This is why he's now licking his wounds in defeat.
It may seem Newt had no choice but to go negative after Mitt did the same. After Mitt lost the previous primary, in South Carolina, he went on the attack, hounding Newt about his lucrative fees from consulting for Freddie Mac, and the scandalous end of his tenure as Speaker of the House in 1998.
It is tempting to join in a fight, tough to walk away. Today, a dog-walker with five dogs on the leash approached my owner Rich and me from across the street. The dogs started rearing up and snarling. I took a few steps forward, mindful that "it wasn't the size of the dog in the fight, it was the size of the fight in the dog." Yet Rich coaxed me away from the quintet and back home, where I sit safely in my sunbeam.
In the Sunshine State, I sense Newt knew the best strategy was to keep his distance. His comments on Mitt's negativity reveal this. “Now, let me be very clear, because I understand your technique, which you used on (John) McCain, you used on (Mike) Huckabee, you’ve used consistently, OK?" Newt said in the Jan. 23 debate. "It’s unfortunate, and it’s not going to work very well, because the American people see through it.”
Had Newt kept his composure, he might have had a closer finish, even a victory. Instead, he mixed it up with Mitt, and eventually sounded even more petty and petulant than his rival. This even happened in the same Jan. 23 debate. Mitt fielded a question about the potential death of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and replied with venom: “Thank heavens that Fidel Castro has returned to his maker and will be sent to another land.” Newt then abandoned statesmanship and sounded more tasteless than Mitt: “First of all…I don’t think that Fidel is going to meet his maker. I think he’s going to go to the other place.”
If Newt really does want to become president, he should change his strategy. Negative campaigning is ruining his hopes worse than a bad dog can ruin a carpet (not that I'd know about that...). It's true that staying above the fray can wound one's pride. I felt humiliated after letting myself be led away from those five dogs. Yet I believe that after the initial humiliation comes the redemption of looking like "the better man" (or dog). Think about that, Newt.
And by the way, I could have licked those five dogs any day of the week.

Daisy is a 9-year-old West Highland white terrier living in Cambridge, Mass. Her column appears weekly.