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Posted by Mia Carter Jul 19, 2008 |
A recent poll conducted by the Associated Press and Yahoo revealed that pet-owning voters favored Republican candidate John McCain over Democrat Barack Obama.
That same poll also revealed that people who did not own pets favored Barack Obama, who currently does not own any animals, though he promises to get the family a new dog once the campaign has ended. On the other hand, McCain does own pets - several, in fact - including dogs and turtles.
This poll got me thinking about all the attention Presidential Pets seem to get. We all know about President George W. Bush's Scottish Terriers, and we can recall Barbara Bush's dog, Milie, by name. Why is this? And what effect does owning a pet have on these high-profile politicians?
Someone - and I have no idea who - once said that everyone in the world should own a dog. You turn 18, you register to vote and you pick up your new dog. Imagine what a better place the world would be, assuming everyone properly cared for their dog. Our dogs would be a point of commonality - people who otherwise have absolutely nothing in common could discuss their dogs. Those dogs would serve to unite complete strangers. They'd teach responsibility, caring and patience.
I think the presidential dogs have a similar effect. We look at the President and his dogs and realize underneath the suits and behind the speeches and all the political mumbo-jumbo, maybe he's not so very different from ourselves afterall.