American Menagerie

Another slice of America--pet owners. Who do they prefer as president? AP:

If the presidential election goes to the dogs, John McCain is looking like best in show.

From George Washington's foxhound Drunkard to George W. Bush's terriers Barney and Miss Beazley, pets are a longtime presidential tradition for which the presumed Republican nominee seems well prepared, with more than a dozen.

Democratic candidate Barack Obama, on the other hand, doesn't have a pet at home, although he has promised his daughters a dog after the election, win or lose.

The pet-owning public seems to have noticed the difference.

An AP-Yahoo News poll found that pet owners favor McCain over Obama 42 percent to 37 percent, with dog owners particularly in McCain's corner.

"I think a person who owns a pet is a more compassionate person — caring, giving, trustworthy. I like pet owners," said Janet Taylor of Plymouth, Mass.

Taylor, who described herself as a retired stay-at-home wife, owns two cats, Lady Jane Taylor and Mr. Tommy Katz.

Well I used to have a beagle and a little spaniel, now just the one--Rogue--oh, and my son has a pet gecko. The McCains are blessed:

He has a veritable menagerie, including Sam the English springer spaniel, Coco the mutt, turtles Cuff and Link, Oreo the black and white cat, a ferret, three parakeets and a bunch of saltwater fish.

This shows a certain generosity of spirit.

Now that Barack is unleashed from the Left in his post-primary trot to the center, we have another interesting ménage--commentators from the left and right are united in their criticism of Obama's breathtaking cynicism. With all his zig-zags on policy, every liberal interest group has a new pet peeve. Every leftie has a bone to pick with the Big O on his positions. Is he losing the left? Will the Hillraisers come to heel?

But what I really want to know--does Barack still have the gourmet dog biscuit vote? (Go get 'em Sam!)

--crossposted at UNCoRRELATED