here are "dog people" and there are "cat people."  Owners of the animals are not always personifications of the traits of their owners, but sometimes they are. And in Dubya's case, he seems to be nearly a perfect example of a "dog person." To quote from a Salon article on the subject:

A dog's love for its owner is, cat people say, entirely instinctual, indiscriminate and often unearned by its object; you are not loved for yourself but for the position you assume in the dog's life -- anyone else would do as well. Therefore, dog owners must be so desperate for love as to be nearly undeserving of it. The willingness of dogs to learn tricks is a result not of their intelligence but of their dopey eagerness to please.

Dogs are simple, uncomplicated creatures. They love their master. They are forgiving, they want to play, and they are desperate to be liked.

Cats are aloof, independent, not easily impressed, not naturally devoted, and your kind treatment of them may or may not be reciprocated or appreciated.

In light of this, is it any wonder Dubya loves his little doggy?

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May 6, 2003

Remember a couple of days ago when I posted those two ridiculous photos of Bush giving a speech in a field, with his dog sniffing around and distracting him? And how I ranted about how undignified it made him appear, and how it was actually embarrassing for me as an American to have our president seem such a dope, even though I think he is a dope? Yes, it's my pet peeve.

Well, here's the most popular picture on Yahoo today. *sigh*

It's the military guys saluting at attention while this buffoon carries one dog and herds another one along, seemingly so oblivious to his surroundings, that gets me.  I guarantee you if I were walking behind him at Price Club, I'd be itching to broadside his loitering ass into a falafel sample.

Holding Barney, his black Scottish terrier, President Bush directs Spot, his English springer spaniel, to board Air Force One at TSTC Airport in Waco, Texas, on the way to Little Rock, Ark., Monday, May 5, 2003. After a weekend at his Crawford, Texas, ranch, Bush will advance his domestic economic agenda and embattled tax-cut plan in Arkansas, a state strategic to Bush's 2004 re-election. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

May 4, 2003

Maybe it's just my general anti-canine bias, but I really find it embarrassing the way Bush is always in stupid photos with his ratty little black dog. And I think the man is an idiot, and would rather he did not represent my country on the world stage, so for me to be embarrassed to the point of feeling bad for him, it has to be cringe-worthy.

There was that ridiculous tale of Bush trying to read a book to some elementary school kids that his yappy little Yorkie interrupted by charging around and scaring the kids, and he's always getting the mutt's leash tangled up as he tries to lead it onto the Air Force One helicopter. I just picture Nightcrawler bamf'ing in and kicking ass and Bush trying to run with his mutt cradled in his arms and tripping over the leash.

U.S. President George W. Bush looks down at his dog Barney as Australian Prime Minister John Howard speaks during a joint press conference held on the Bush ranch in Crawford, Texas, May 3, 2003. Howard and his wife Janette spent the night at the ranch. The two leaders met to discuss post war Iraq, national security and trade issues. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Now today here's this story with him standing out in some god forsaken field with two ridiculous podiums set up, and he's all distracted by the mutt.  Jesus Christ, if you must bring your dog everywhere with you, can't you have it on a fucking leash and the Secret Service standing on it? Have a little dignity, for Christ's sake.  It's not like you're the most powerful figurehead man on earth or anything.

I'll give Clinton credit for just having a cat, a properly-dignified pet.  He eventually got a dog, for some reason, but at least he didn't drag it with him to every speech and photo op. Of course he dragged CS'ing interns to them, and made a far bigger fool of himself, but anyway.  Though really, my opinion of Bush would probably improve if he got caught with an intern.  Showing some passion for something besides greed and power and revenge.

Also, it's rather ridiculous to hold a press conference on a dirt road in front of hay bales, with formal presidential podiums and in dress clothing. Could we just have a semi-formal auditorium somewhere?  Or do this on a back deck with a ranch backdrop?

The whole "I'm a rancher" thing Bush does to appear a man of the people is sort of annoying also. He bought the damn place in 1999 as part of his image make over anyway.

Dubya, you were born a millionaire, you've lived as a millionaire, and you'll die as a millionaire, primarily since your business acumen wasn't good enough to move into the billionaire class even with the back scratching sweetheart oil company, Texas Rangers partnership, and insider trading. You went to Yale, getting in since daddy was a powerful politician. Wearing designer work clothing and chopping firewood for photo ops doth not a rancher make.

At work we get the head bosses coming in from time to time to act like they could do real work if they had to.  They'll carry around some stuff and make some cotton candy and count some inventory.  Everyone smiles and pretends they are doing great work and we're so glad to see them there, and after five minutes they think they've proved their point and leave.  And once they are gone, we throw away all the unsaleable product they produced, and recount all the inventory they screwed up, and refile all the merchandise they put in the wrong place and laugh about what idiots the bosses are.

I think you see the parallel here.

Honestly, I'm not really picking on Bush in this instance.  Every lord of a manor does this, and most heads of businesses do it as well, as they try to remember what it was like back when they had to work for a living, rather than just tell people what to do and when to work.  The vast majority of businesses in the world keep running entirely on the backs of the low level employees, as they find ways to keep getting their work done while circumventing the idiotic stuff their bosses burden them with.

December 19, 2002

There's a news item about Bush reading to some elemental school kids and having to grab his semi-rat dog when it came charging out, etc.  The article is totally pointless, but for some reason it's just hypnotic.  The whole thing is so short, I'll just quote it.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush helped read a Christmas classic to third-graders in a light-hearted ceremony disrupted by a "near riot" of school children frightened by his black Scottish terrier.

Bush exchanged winks and jokes with the nearly 60 school children gathered in the Roosevelt Room on Tuesday as first lady Laura Bush read from "The night before Christmas."

Bush, who handed off the book to his wife after reading just one page aloud, complemented the children on their "nice boots" and exclaimed, "Pretty exciting so far isn't it?"

Many of the children were startled when the dog, Barney, entered the room unexpectedly.

"He's pretty ferocious looking when you first look at him," Bush said of the overly eager little black dog, conceding the surprise "created a near riot."

Scroll down to see some other photos.  I don't know exactly what it is about this that makes Dubya seem like such a goddamned idiot, but I find myself having unwanted flashbacks to the whole Dan Quayle "potatoe" incident.  But this time the handsome but empty-headed Republican is the president, not just the veep.

This sort of defies satire.

Bush, who handed off the book to his wife after reading just one page aloud, complemented the children on their "nice boots" and exclaimed, "Pretty exciting so far isn't it?"

Many of the children were startled when the dog, Barney, entered the room unexpectedly.

"He's pretty ferocious looking when you first look at him," Bush said of the overly eager little black dog, conceding the surprise "created a near riot."

Here are some associated photos.  Could the article and these pics make Bush look any stupider?  Yes, "nice boots".  Dear god.

President George W. Bush listens as first lady Laura Bush reads 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' to Washington area schoolchildren at the White House December 17, 2002. The President began reading but passed the book to the first lady saying he could not read without his glasses.

It just cries out for one of those nasty Political Strikes type captions, doesn't it?

U.S. President George W. Bush holds onto his dog Barney after the White House pet walked in unexpectedly and startled some Washington area schoolchildren during a reading of a Christmas story in the Roosevelt Room of the White House December 17, 2002. The President quickly took Barney into his arms and tried to assure the children that Barney meant no harm. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Yes, it's a book.

U.S. President George W. Bush reads ' 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' to Washington area schoolchildren at the White House December 17, 2002. The President began reading but quickly passed the book to the first lady to finish, saying he could not read without his glasses.

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