GOOD FIRST DOGGIE BO!

Our First Doggie Bo is creating a world-wide frenzy. He happens to be a Portuguese water dog (Portie) who are known to be independent, intelligent, and loving. They enjoy being petted and are friendly to strangers (Secret Service nightmare). Porties are easily trained in obedience and agility skills: "When the president of the United States got up and walked across the room," says Washington Post reporter Manuel Roig Franzia, "the dog, clearly having a very good understanding of who rules in this town, got up and followed the president!" GOOD DOGGIE BO! There are some who could take a lesson in obedience from Bo.

Bo is a gift from Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who owns three Portuguese water dogs; Splash, Sunny and Cappy. Splash is the fictional narrator in Kennedy's childrens' book My Senator and Me: A Dog's-Eye View of Washington, D.C. It follows Portie Splash as he tries to help his master, the senator, go about his daily life and pass an education bill. It also explains how a bill becomes a law, the roles of Congress and the Senate and other details of the U.S. system of government, plus biographies of Splash and Kennedy. When the puppy's original family couldn't take care of him Senator Kennedy found a new home for the pup with the Obamas. WAY TO GO, BO! The gift is naturally causing controversy in political circles especially within the 'talking head' class. Up for scrutiny is everything from The Washington Post's pooper scoop to the origin of first daughters Malia and Sasha's choice of the name 'Bo' for the little black and white pup.

Karl Rove, often referred to as a pitbull, will be twitterin' and tweetin' about how the White House is manipulating the flow of information to the press. Grumpy Newt Gingrich thinks the dog-press frenzy is 'stupid' and 'who cares?' Newt, we all care! We all need the little bit of sunshine a new puppy can bring to the nation. Top Republican dog Rush Limbaugh reportedly said on his radio show, "Portuguese. The dog is Portuguese. For all we know he's an illegal alien, and, you got it folks, a Muslim. I demand to see his papers." Bo is an all-American, wrapped in the flag patriot!