Rolling Through the Shutdown

img-X07103029-0001, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

While Democrats and Republicans battle through the government shutdown, a tiny progressive Westie finds some positive news in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine."

Terrier: Murray's gone, don't forget Western Mass!

By: Daisy

This past weekend, my human companions went to Western Massachusetts for a college graduation at Amherst. And because they booked a pet-friendly hotel, I got to go along!
We stayed at a La Quinta in Springfield, on the sixth floor, which is reserved for pets and their human friends. Maybe I barked a little too loudly in the lobby, but the staff didn't seem to mind. I was just trying to show my excitement at going on a trip "out West." It reminded me of my days with the kind folks of Westie Rescue in Palmer.
Western Mass. is on my mind for another reason. To me, the pet-friendly hotel is a sign of progress in the region ... a sign of the bold, forward-thinking philosophies that will get the state, and the nation, through this difficult economy.
Yet I feel the region is at a critical crossroads, especially now that Lieutenant Gov. Tim Murray has resigned as the second-in-command to Gov. Deval Patrick.

McConnell: Economy Will Take a Bath

McConnell-Pet Shampoo, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader in the Senate, is blaming the government for spending tax money on dog and cat shampoo and a $325,000 robotic squirrel, while at the same time trying to end the Bush tax cuts. Yet a Westie puts him in his place, in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine"!

Terrier: Election lessons, digested

By: Daisy

Like my lunch of microwaved chicken and rice, I feel that I have digested the historic results of Election Day sufficiently enough to share my canine perspective.
One month ago, the drama of the past year reached its climax, with voters lining up at the polls and viewers staying up long into the night, tracking the election results as intently as I track squirrels on the bike path. What lessons can we take from how Americans voted?

Barack ... Back for Seconds

Thanksgiving 2012 Cartoon, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

President Obama has returned for a second term and on the eve of Thanksgiving, his plate is full with pressing issues. Read more, and hear what a Westie has to say, in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine"!
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Terrier: Pawprints on Election Day

By: Daisy

This morning, as I watched my human friend Laura walk across Massachusetts Avenue in North Cambridge to vote on Election Day, I began wailing from the back seat of our Toyota Corolla. And while my other human friend, Rich, patiently waited behind the wheel for Laura to return, I couldn't stop crying.
You see, I wanted to be in that polling place, too, casting my vote in the elections I've blogged about for almost 10 months. Yet until some forward-thinking human introduces a Constitutional amendment that would extend the franchise to dogs, the only way to make my Westie voice heard is by blogging. So here are my thoughts on the final day of Campaign 2012.

Mitt: Eye on Storm, Foot in Mouth

Sandy-Squirrels Cartoon, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

There goes Mitt Romney, doing something inappropriate again. This time his campaign wants to tour areas damaged by Hurricane Sandy for political capital. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (who refused him), President Obama and a Westie set a better, bipartisan example in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine."

Loosey-Goosey Foreign Policy

Canada-Mexico Toon, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

If you look at the transcript of Monday's presidential debate on foreign policy, two countries were noticeably absent from the discussion: Canada and Mexico, which happen to be the US' only next-door neighbors. Where's the love? That's what a Canada goose and a Chihuahua ask Barack and Mitt in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine."

Terrier: Romney squirrels away support

By: Daisy

Normally, when I see a photo of a squirrel, I start thinking of dinner. But one particular squirrel has made me wonder if he is out to lunch.
The squirrel in question is named Gnocchi. He is a South Carolina gray squirrel who lives in the city of Summerville. And about one week ago, he made a prediction that made me lose my lunch: That Mitt Romney would win the presidential campaign over Barack Obama.
"His owner Serena Ash set up two bowls of walnuts, each with a picture of the presidential contender," the Summerville Patch reported. "Whichever bowl he ate the most nuts out of was the winner."
This left me thinking about two things. First, how come my human companions Rich and Laura never leave me two bowls side-by-side? And second, I suspect this test was far from impartial ... that certain squirrel-like qualities of Mitt made him Gnocchi's pick from the beginning.

Cats & Dogs: Did Obama do well in debate?

(Welcome to the first installment of Cats & Dogs, an ongoing political debate between Daisy the dog and Pancho the cat.)

By: Daisy and Pancho

DAISY: Good afternoon, everyone! Today my good friend Pancho and I are discussing the performance of Democratic President Obama in his first debate with GOP challenger Mitt Romney in Denver last Wednesday. Pancho, am I the only one who thinks the president did a good job?

PANCHO: Yes, you are! Mitt came out swinging his sword like Puss in Boots, and Obama had no counterstroke. My fellow felines know that to win a catfight, you need to get your swipes in. I don't understand why Obama didn't dig out the claws about Mitt's many weak points: his dismissal of the "47 percent" who don't pay taxes, his own reluctance to pay taxes ...

DAISY: And what I consider the cardinal sin: His driving with his dog atop the family station wagon on a cross-country trip back in the early 1980s. But where you see this as too much Mr. Nice Guy, I see it as taking the high road. And isn't this a good thing? Haven't we had enough of negative campaigning?

Conservatives Get Catty

Republicats Cartoon, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

Two Republican candidates -- presidential hopeful Mitt Romney and incumbent Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown -- have shown a bit of a cat-like side in their recent, respective debate performances. It's up to a Westie to analyze in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine"!

Warren Can't Fall Back From Attacks

Warren-Winter Coat, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

Staffers for Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) have made crass taunts to his Democratic opponent, Elizabeth Warren, including tomahawk gestures and war whoops, to mock her claims of Native American heritage. Warren gets some advice on what to expect from Brown in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine"!

Terrier: Brown-Warren is 'Walker-Whisperer' battle

By: Daisy

I hope everyone -- Democrats, Republicans and independents -- had an enjoyable, relaxing summer! I certainly did. Whether it was enjoying fried clams and watching my distant relatives, the seals, on Cape Cod, or just chasing squirrels on the North Cambridge bike path, the summer was sweet, as always.
Now it's back to the campaign trail for the fall, and the Senate race in my home state of Massachusetts heated up like a mug of apple cider last Thursday, as Republican Sen. Scott Brown and Democratic Harvard Law School professor Elizabeth Warren exchanged views in the first of four campaign debates.
From a canine perspective, I would say that this debate revealed two distinct campaign personalities: the Dog Walker (Brown) versus the Dog Whisperer (Warren).

Class Warfare and Squirrel Hunting

Mitt-47 Percent Toon, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

A new statistic has joined the political lexicon: the "47 percent" who pay no income taxes, according to Mitt Romney, who apparently belongs to the other 53 percent. Well, a Westie is ready to tackle his logic, as well as a juicy squirrel, in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine"!

Surprise Guests at RNC, US Open

Scott Brown-US Open, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

What a surprising week it's been in our national pastimes (sports and politics). First the US Open tennis tournament gets unexpectedly interrupted by a squirrel. Then Sen. Scott Brown tries to pull off an upstaging act of his own at the Republican National Convention in Tampa. Read more about it in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine."

Akin Needs a Muzzle

Akin-Muzzle Cartoon, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

Rep. Todd Akin, the Missouri GOP Senate candidate who made controversial comments about "legitimate rape," gets his comeuppance from a Westie in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine"!

Ryan Uses His Noodle

Paul Ryan-Catfish Toon, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

Rep. Paul Ryan, whom Mitt Romney has picked as his GOP running mate, has an unusual hobby: He likes to catch catfish by noodling. What is noodling, you ask? Well, let the Congressman demonstrate -- and make a few political parallels -- in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine"!

Terrier: It's no stretch to compare politics, Olympics

 By: Daisy

My profile picture suggests that I am a sedentary dog, and in some ways this is true. I do enjoy a nice lounge on my doggy bed, on the sofa, or on a patch of grass or clover. And yet I have my active side too. Not only do I like to get in my daily exercise, but I can't help feeling the imprint of the frenetic physical activity humans have been putting themselves through in two arenas: athletic and political.
Athletic, in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London ... and political, on the campaign trail for president and also for senator in my home state of Massachusetts. And I ask my human readers: Which Olympic activities line up best with which candidates? Here are my answers:

Terrier: Liz shouldn't seek 'Shelter from the Storm'

 By: Daisy

What a scary noise the thunder caused in Eastern Massachusetts Tuesday afternoon and evening! I got so nervous that I panted throughout the thunderclaps and scratched at the bedroom door trying to escape the wrath of Mother Nature. My human friend Rich tried to calm me down by playing the radio (it was our local Cambridge station, 740-AM) in an effort to drown out the thunder. But in fact, it was only when I started thinking about a second storm -- political campaigns -- that my sides stopped heaving and I quieted down somewhat.
You see, campaigns are a bit of a maelstrom too, and in our Massachusetts Senate race we have two candidates who are a study in contrasts in how to deal with the storm. On the one hand (or paw, in my case) we have the Republican incumbent, Scott Brown (grr!), who is unafraid to go out and "get his feet wet." Meanwhile, the candidate I'm rooting for, Democratic hopeful Elizabeth Warren, is staying indoors, playing it conservative.
Evidence backs me up here. Tuesday afternoon, my human companions Rich and Laura went to Bartley's burger joint in Harvard Square. If you haven't been, it has a reputation for mouthwatering hamburgers. (The best I can hope for, alas, is a doggie bag.) What's more, they are named after celebrities -- Harvard alum and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg ... Boston Celtics player Kevin Garnett ... even Lady Gaga. (I think I howl better than her!) And of course, Brown and Warren.
Yet not only did Bartley's honor Brown with a burger, it also displayed two of his campaign signs! Can you imagine a restaurant in liberal Harvard Square doing that with another Republican, say, George W. Bush? You'd be more likely to see me hanging around with the squirrels in the backyard instead of chasing them. Yet Brown earned this star treatment honestly. He showed up at Bartley's in April to chow down on his namesake burger -- it contains bacon (yum!), American cheese (tasty!), grilled onions (mmm!), jalapenos (think I'll pass) and French fries (double yum!). He also said he'd frequented the restaurant during his undergrad days at nearby Tufts.
I haven't been able to find a similar story about Warren going to Bartley's ... even though she LIVES IN CAMBRIDGE AND TEACHES AT HARVARD LAW SCHOOL. Maybe she doesn't like the ingredients of her burger -- red peppers, onions, feta cheese and Dijon mustard. Or, in fairness, maybe she didn't like the crude remarks of restaurant owner Billy Bartley -- a man who described himself as a fan of hers. Well, if he's such a fan, I would like to know why he said, in reference to a back-and-forth between her and Brown about our centerfold senator, "The thought of her taking her clothes off made me throw up a little in my mouth."
The Bartley's example, though, shows that Brown is taking the lead in getting out and connecting with people. And there are other examples I could bring up. Sunday, he was there to greet two Massachusetts residents, the Rev. Michel Louis and Lissa Alphonse, who were held in captivity by a Bedouin in Egypt for three days earlier this month.
Liz, politics is a particularly rough storm, worse than anything that happened last night. If given the choice, I may want to stay inside with the lights on and the music turned up. But you can't do that if you want to win this Senate race.

Daisy is a 10-year-old West Highland white terrier living in Cambridge, Mass. Her column appears regularly.

Koch is Mitt's 'Iron Chef'

Mitt-David Koch Toon, a photo by rbtenorio on Flickr.

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney traveled to billionaire David Koch's home in the Hamptons for a fundraiser on Sunday. Romney reportedly stuck around for dinner -- corn fritters, chicken and arugula salad, and dessert (cupcakes and ice cream). A source told the New York Post that this was “a simple meal to make sure the most money raised goes to the campaign.” Um, with the admission price fifty grand a head, simplicity doesn't seem to have been on the menu. Read a terrier's take in the latest episode of "Capitol Hill Canine"!