Will a Democratic Dog Be Sitting in the White House Next Year?

While many past Presidents dutifully added a pooch to the family mix shortly after unpacking and settling down to business in the White House, the most recent one has opted to not.

While I get that not all people are “dog people” it does make one start to wonder. Not only about who will win the upcoming election but if and when a “first dog” will once again find himself strolling those hallowed halls in search of errant treats.

Yes, the campaign for America’s “top dog” is well underway and with the polling stations opening their doors and votes being tallied this Fall, we figured it was time to take a sneaky peek at some of the canine candidates who may one day find themselves pooping in the rose garden.

So, let’s make up a short-list, shall we? With just six democratic candidates vying for the role that will ultimately take on the current incumbent, we know that not all of them have pets. While my initial reaction is boo on them, one never knows. Maybe they’re too busy, maybe they have allergies, maybe they were once bitten and are now twice shy. Who knows, right?

So how many actually do reach down to scratch a furry head after a hard day on the campaign trail? Let’s just take a line from Dame Agatha Christie who penned the infamous phrase “and then there were…”. In this instance, and then there were four. Ah, but which four?

1. Well, billionaire and POTUS hopeful Mike Bloomberg isn’t afraid of being bitten (which may bode well for him during the testy debate processes). In fact, his awkward albeit playful face-grab of an open-mouthed pooch garnered him a whole lot of attention recently as it gained viral status on social media. At last count, there were over 4 million Twitter views of him shaking the hand of a man, then grabbing the beak of the man’s tail-wagging dog and giving it a friendly little shake. Awkward moment but not nearly as definitive as a New York Times article that spelled out how adverse he was to his live-in gal pal’s two yellow labs named Bonnie and Clyde. C’mon Mike, everyone loves a Lab, right? So, by proxy we’ll give him pet cred.

2. Over to Elizabeth Warren, whose Golden Retriever named Bailey has his own Twitter account. Yes, @FirstDogBailey has used the powers of social media to send his own personal message and strangely enough, it’s right in line with his pet parent! “Hi! I’m Bailey Warren. I like long walks, belly rubs, and financial regulations that hold billionaires and corporations accountable.” Zing, Mike Bloomberg. Now, Bailey is just shy his second birthday and while one might think that taking on a pup just before a major campaign is a big mistake, Warren states that grabbing the leash and taking a long walk with this, their family’s second Golden is a great way to relieve the stress that comes from the rigors of debates, polls, plus all those meet-and-greets. I hear ya.

3. Back in 2018 retired VEEP Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden decided to foster a rescue pup from the Delaware Humane Society. Well, you and I both know how that goes. Once you’ve worked through those difficult puppy days (think piddling, chewing, training and yipping all night long) it’s hard to just hand him back over for someone else to enjoy the furry fruits of your labor. So, they didn’t. This Dem candidate hopeful and his family adopted this under 1-year old German Shepherd dog named Major and they plan to bring him – along with their other German Shepherd named Champ – to the White House in 2021. German Shepherd dogs are known for their loyalty, intelligence and ability to follow instructions. Ideal qualities in a Presidential pooch, don’t you think?