Obama: Finding Girls’ Puppy ‘Tougher Than Finding Commerce Secretary’
EmailWhen President-elect Barack Obama came to our studios at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. for our exclusive interview, he brought his daughters, Malia and Sasha.
The girls visited our "This Week" control room and even got on my executive producer’s headset, giving me the question they most wanted their dad to answer.
"While you were getting made up," I told Obama, "they went into the control room and played director and producer. And they actually gave me a question they want me to ask you. You know exactly what it’s going to be."
Obama laughed, "Uh-oh. Go ahead."
On behalf of Malia and Sasha Obama, I asked the president-elect, "What kind of a dog are we getting and when are we getting it?"
Obama said, "They seem to have narrowed it down to a labradoodle or a Portuguese water hound …medium-sized dog, and so, we’re now going to start looking at shelters to see when one of those dogs might come up."
"So, you’re closing in on it?" I asked Obama.
"We’re closing in on it. This has been tougher than finding a commerce secretary," the president-elect said.
Obama said his daughters are handling the transition to their new city beautifully.
"They seemed to thrive," the president-elect said. "I’m trying to figure out why it is that they don’t seemed to be fazed by anything. People think — you know, folks think I’m cool, they are a lot cooler than I am. They just don’t seem to be intimidated."
–George Stephanopoulos
Rick Santorum Encircled in Prayer 
Boehner Slams Obama on Contraception Controversy
I smell parental stall tacktics!
Posted by: samhiguchi | January 11, 2009, 9:40 am 9:40 am
I have a question for Mr. Stephananpoulos, how do you look yourself in the mirror and actually convince yourself you have any journalistic credibility? I mean really, finding puppies for the Messiah’s, the annointed one’s, Lord Obama’s brats?
Would you have ever considered asking Senator McCain, Governor Palin, President Bush softball, meaningless questions as ridiculous as that?
Posted by: Tim | January 11, 2009, 10:35 am 10:35 am
I can understand with the moves why he hasn’t gotten the dog yet. Move from chicago, move from hotel to blair house, then move to white house. As soon as they move into the white house get them that dog.
Posted by: rachel | January 11, 2009, 10:39 am 10:39 am
A labradodle or Portuguese water hound are hard enough to find outside a shelter, much less in one. What a complex operation! Besides that, the mutt search was abandoned.
Posted by: kat | January 11, 2009, 10:40 am 10:40 am
Obama the double talker. Would close gitmo now It is harder than you think.
Would raise taxes on the wealthy now looking at tax cuts. Would end the war in Iraq now it might take longer.
No lobbists in his cabinet, and the list goes on and on. What we have is not a reform President but a bull sh–t artist.
Posted by: old geezer | January 11, 2009, 10:40 am 10:40 am
Awww…lay off. This was an innocent question about two young girls wanting a dog. Like Obama, hate him, whatever – nothing wrong with a light-hearted question about a dog.
Posted by: Rex | January 11, 2009, 11:27 am 11:27 am
George Stephanopoulis and Charles Gibson’s conduct of the “debate” between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama was such an insulting exhibition, I have still not forgiven ABC for the travesty, not have I any confidence in George or Gibson. I don’t even watch ABC news anymore. In my opinion, both will have to work hard to earn my trust and my respect. This was not a good start.
Posted by: Anon | January 11, 2009, 11:31 am 11:31 am
I think it was a fair question and a great way to end the interview to remind us that he is human and a father.
The process of selecting a dog or any pet is important and an example of the character and thought process.
I think its a good way to think about something that is happy given all the economic troubles the nation is facing.
Posted by: scott jeffries | January 11, 2009, 11:51 am 11:51 am
Tim, I am a grandmother and NO child should be called ANYTHING negative, ie, (your words, not mine) brats. Shows your substance as a man .
Posted by: mimi | January 11, 2009, 12:10 pm 12:10 pm
I am responding to the round tables comments, on what president-elect Obama should have in his historical speech,on January 20th. In my humble opinion, at one point Obama should look straight into the eyes of the sea of humanity gathered there,with clarity and with the upmost sincerity say to the American people “I NEED ALL OF YOU IN WHATEVER CAPABILITY YOU MAY HAVE,TO GIVE I CANNOT DO THIS MIGHTY TASK ALONE WITHOUT YOU,MY FELLOW AMERICANS”.
Posted by: wanda | January 11, 2009, 12:44 pm 12:44 pm
I like your interview BUT DOG is.. still..DOGS…stillPETS= animals=not human. Why this society focus about ANIMAL=protect them too much.
I think …treat:
First= WOMEN
Second= CHILDREN
Third= PETS
And then MEN ..LAST! Oh my GOD!
Let read OBAMA’s answer: find a PET for his children=difficulty find a member for his ADMINISTRATION!!!!!
Posted by: phoqh | January 11, 2009, 12:53 pm 12:53 pm
These are hard times for the physcotic-extremist right.
Posted by: John | January 11, 2009, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm
The best way for the Obama girls to get a great dog would be to go through the Animal Planet show “from Underdog to Wonderdog” where every week the team finds an abandoned dog from a shelter, gives it a makeover, some obedience training, a health check and finds a family to welcome the dog. It would a great opportunity for everyone to share in the first dog story!
Posted by: Christine Asdourian | January 11, 2009, 1:36 pm 1:36 pm
And he sits there and grins, and parades his poppets, and says, “Hey, look at them, aren’t they PRECIOUS?! Aren’t they CUUUUUUUUTE?! Look, look, I’m still promising them a dog! And I’m gonna keep THAT promise, by gum! It’s just HARDER THAN I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE!”
Posted by: Laughing Cynic | January 11, 2009, 2:14 pm 2:14 pm
The puppy search is a great way for Obama to talk about something light-hearted. It must be very difficult for him to deal with all the pressing problems both domestically and around the world. He did, hoever, apply for the job. I wish him well.
Posted by: Tangito | January 11, 2009, 2:48 pm 2:48 pm
I know these kids have allergies but there are shelters and rescues all across the country that will help them find the right dog. I wish them well and I hope they do in fact go with a shelter dog.
Posted by: JC in TX | January 11, 2009, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
Previous post from OLD GEEZER: “Obama the double talker. Would close gitmo now It is harder than you think.
Would raise taxes on the wealthy now looking at tax cuts. Would end the war in Iraq now it might take longer.
No lobbists in his cabinet, and the list goes on and on. What we have is not a reform President but a bull sh–t artist.”
You and Fox News. No matter what he does you will be sure to find something wrong with it. If John McCain had won and said the same things you wouldn’t have a problem with it. Promises made in a campain are promises to do the thing and any smart person who’s going to do it right, is going to do it in a reasonable amount of time without rushing (IRAQ WAR) in to it.
Posted by: Cindy | January 11, 2009, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm
Please – no “designer” dog.
Posted by: Yankee | January 11, 2009, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
Tougher than finding a Commerce Secretary! WHAT? Now that is a little frightening is’nt it? To me that shows that he didn’t take much time selecting his administration! What are we in for?
Posted by: ML | January 11, 2009, 5:14 pm 5:14 pm
George your interview with Obama was a disgrace. How can you call yourself a unbiased journalist…
When you asked Obama about prosecuting the “gravest” Bush crimes. what are you talking about??
When was President Bush indicted?
When were the top officials of his administration indicted? What were their crimes?… Keeping America safe for 8 years?
I am an iranian and i credit America and Bush’s admin. for not siding with dictators and he Liberated 50,000,000 people in Iraq and Afghanistan? Where was his crime?
shame on you Goeorge ! Is it better to side with dictators and let people on those countries suffer…I guess Obama wants to do the same with Iran…he wants to talk to iranian illegitimate regime and prolonging their existence and let 60 million suffer /!
Posted by: frieda | January 11, 2009, 6:03 pm 6:03 pm
I agree with the previous poster that answering the “puppy question”: reminds us that the President-Elect is a FATHER. His girls want to know, he said they are looking in shelters, so give them a break. It doesn’t have any effect on anyone’s life outside of the White House.
Posted by: Margot | January 11, 2009, 6:33 pm 6:33 pm
If the Obamas are interested in a labradoodle I suggest they checkout http://www.idog.biz who can help with finding a puppy in a shelter or in need of rehoming.
Posted by: Nancy | January 11, 2009, 6:37 pm 6:37 pm
I think Obama should get a portuguese water dog from their rescue site. There are plenty of pure breed dogs that need to rescued that aren’t found in shelters.
Posted by: dog | January 11, 2009, 8:14 pm 8:14 pm
i think obama should give me the puppy.
me and my parents and brother will injoy him so a shelter can be my house. if me parents say yes.
from jahna
loved your work make a change of fcat
Posted by: jahna | January 11, 2009, 8:58 pm 8:58 pm
You may hate Obama, for whatever reason, but what possible justification could you have for calling his 10 and 7-year-old daughters “brats”? You don’t know Obama, you don’t know his wife, and you certainly don’t know his children. He’s not a “messiah,” he doesn’t walk on water, and he has never claimed to do so. His children certainly have made no such claims.
Only a deliberately sick, envious, and resentful moron would use the term “brats” about little girls he or she has never met. I have no doubt that some people, unaccustomed to the concept of middle and upper-class blacks, are finding it difficult to cope with a black family that is better educated and more successful than they are and that this explains much of the childish vituperation, unfounded accusations, and gratuitous insults. You people need to grow up, get yourselves to psychiatrists, or both.
Posted by: Eleonora27 | January 11, 2009, 9:07 pm 9:07 pm
Free speech is actively flowing!!
When circumstances change, it is prudent to shift ones plans…all intelligent people behave that way.
Until September, none of knew that we had a financial crisis of such a grand proportion. As such, it seems reasonable to me that PE Obama needs to change course and modify his plans to get the country back on track.
To ignore the dire circumstances and forge ahead with his original plan, would be foolish!
If he is successful, the country is successful. If he fails, you, I, and the country fails. That may mean you nor I will have a house, job, car, nor retirement account.
So, continue with your “free speech,” but please see if it can be more helpful, for all our sake.
Good Lord!!
Posted by: Candy | January 11, 2009, 9:36 pm 9:36 pm
It says how far down the tubes we have come as a country, when people can’t even endure two minutes of light heartedness and the enjoyment of two sweet little girls in anticipation of a much long for pet. Not to mention the nasty name calling and hateful sentiments so often on display in these posts. It is sad and sickening! Lighten up people!
Posted by: Phoenix Lady | January 11, 2009, 10:14 pm 10:14 pm
Ganaraskan dogs are hypoallergenic dogs, bread for pet therapy in Ontario, Canada, approx weight 25 lbs or black russian terriers are hypoallergenic calm dogs approx weight of females, 80 lbs.
Posted by: Anne | January 11, 2009, 10:41 pm 10:41 pm
What a digusting piece of “journalism”.
Posted by: dlc | January 11, 2009, 11:04 pm 11:04 pm
To Tim:
I think you’re really out of line calling Sasha and Malia ‘brats’. Whatever POLITICAL disagreements you have with Obama (or with the reporter), you have no right or reason to make personal attacks against children. You’re an adult, learn to control yourself and behave as one. Shame on you!!!
Posted by: Seashells23 | January 11, 2009, 11:35 pm 11:35 pm
Come on, to all you who question the journalism at work here, it’s great to hear story that humanizes and brings the president that much closer to the people who voted for him. I’m sick and tired of hearing about murders, rapes, child molestations, kidnappings, war zones, and suicide bombers… and how pathetically our outgoing president dealt with some of the aforementioned. It’s wonderful to hear any story that isn’t about how crappy, depressing, and down trodden the world is.
Posted by: shakara | January 11, 2009, 11:54 pm 11:54 pm
Dear Mr. Stephanopoulos
As an African-American woman, I feel I should let you and other white folks in on something: Many people of color don’t need nor want an animal in our homes. Most of us have being living without them just fine. We are not that overly crazy about them like you are.
PE Obama is being politically polite about the situation because he doesn’t want to appear to offend the very over reactive animals lovers who helped get him elected.
Obama’s constiuents (sp) need to get over this thing about a President should have a dog. If the Obamas have lived this long without a dog or some kind of animal in their home (with good reason), chances are they won’t live with one in the WH.
PS. After how the courts and the animal rights groups treated Michael Vick, I don’t blame the Obamas for not wanting one.
Posted by: Angela | January 12, 2009, 12:45 am 12:45 am
Angela – are you suggesting that it would be cool if Mr. Obama wanted to have a dog fighting business at the White House?? Of course you aren’t…just want to be clear.
Don’t worry…they’ll get the dog and then they’ll soon send it packing and say “That’s not the dog we knew!”
Posted by: Lila | January 12, 2009, 1:23 am 1:23 am
Please see http://andrewyu-jenwang.blogspot.com/2008/12/andrew-yu-jen-wang-responds-to-stokely.html “George W. Bush hates black people.”
Submitted by Andrew Yu-Jen Wang
B.S., Summa Cum Laude, 1996
Messiah College, Grantham, PA
Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, PA, 1993
“GEORGE W. BUSH IS THE WORST PRESIDENT IN U.S. HISTORY” BLOG OF ANDREW YU-JEN WANG
ONLINE ANTI-BUSH SCHOLASTIC RESEARCH: LISTING OF MAJOR ISSUES
http://andrewyu-jenwang.blogspot.com/2008/10/bush-is-worst-president-in-american.html
Posted by: Andrew Yu-Jen Wang | January 12, 2009, 3:50 am 3:50 am
It looks like members of current administration including President Bush and his cronies have forgotten or do not want to think that terrorists have killed more US citizens after 9/11 than under another US president who occupied the White House recently. The US economy and US reputation overseas is in a worse shape. I am appalled, no body has challenged their statement that no-terrorist attack on US soil after 9/11. It is a shame that even at this moment, they do not want to talk straight. The policies of the current administration made it easy for the terrorist get whatever they want directly or indirectly.
Posted by: Thrivi | January 12, 2009, 7:15 am 7:15 am
Vice President-Elect Joe Biden has his new puppy. See it at, http://stopthepresses2.blogspot.com/search/label/Joe%20Biden
Posted by: Stopthepresses | January 12, 2009, 10:04 am 10:04 am
Oh poor thing. Choosing a family dog is so stressful… maybe he should alert the nation the next time he doesn’t know which socks to wear.
Posted by: Lauren | January 12, 2009, 10:28 am 10:28 am
God, did someone pee in some of your cornflakes this morning? Lighten up! I’m sick of reading about death and destruction. Is the president supposed to go around wearing sack cloth and ashes and never break a smile b/c of the state of the economy? Come on.
And to the person who called the girls “brats”, I’m sorry, do you know them? Didn’t think so…
Posted by: What? | January 12, 2009, 10:45 am 10:45 am
Angela> What are you talking about? You seriously don’t think these little girls want a pet? How do you know? You’re kind of stereotyping African Americans, aren’t you?
Posted by: What?? | January 12, 2009, 10:47 am 10:47 am
A Labradoodle is not always a dog that doesn’t shed…50% of those genes come from a breed that sheds. Logically, there’s a 50% chance the dog will shed. And…how many breeders of designer dogs screen for problems, like hip dysplasia and eye problems? Go with a Portugese Water Dog from a reputable breed who screens the parents to be free of genetic problems. If you insist on a rescue, go to the AKC website and find a Porty rescue.
Posted by: Sal | January 12, 2009, 11:56 am 11:56 am
Lila, don’t be foolish. The Obamas are not interested in having a pet for their daughters. Those girls have allergies that Michelle Obama must keep under constant control. Allergies can develop into asthma and with asthma-related health problems being more previlent in the African-American community then other ethinic communities, it doesn’t make sense nor is it wise to expose them to unnecessary triggers.
Posted by: Angela | January 12, 2009, 1:41 pm 1:41 pm
What?? I’m not sterotyping African-Americans because I’m one. And yes I do know what I’m talking about. My neighbors don’t keep pets. I don’t have an animal in my home, nor do I want one. As far as the Obama girls are concerned, they’re like most other children who see other kids with a pet and think they should have one too. Doesn’t mean they’ll get one.
Posted by: Angela | January 12, 2009, 1:51 pm 1:51 pm
I really hope he does NOT get a PWD. They are inbred enough and have so many problems already. It would destroy the breed. I really hope he does not do that.
Posted by: Peter | January 12, 2009, 11:52 pm 11:52 pm
I was under the impression that OBAMA is a covert Muslim, if so then he certainly wont get a dog!! Muslims do not have the humanity to be in tune with dogs.. Perhaps the alergy issue is a `smoke screen`…I do NOT like this man or his family!
Posted by: J HERON | January 17, 2009, 11:08 am 11:08 am
My prayers are with all the haters and cynics that I see in these columns. The disgruntled right wing is using comment pages to spew their positions, which appear to be based only in jealousy and self-loathing. Why else would you write “I do not like this man or his family”? You don’t even know him. Look at George Will and the other conservative writers, they were blown away by their evening with him last week.
My hope is that more people read these pages, because shining light on this impaired logic based on bigotry and small-mindedness, at a time when our country desperately needs all of our cooperation and support, is counter-productive at best and…well, you can figure out the worst. T
his sort of jabbing and hate speech does not lead us out of the trouble we are in and when you take it to it’s natural conclusions the end is not love or peace or goodness. So, this is your time to choose. You can go to your corner and stew or you can become part of the real process. Up to you. Let’s get going, America.
Posted by: Mom | January 18, 2009, 10:33 am 10:33 am
Sorry, grammatical error in my last post. I meant to say that shining light on these sorts of posts is important because their intent and effects of their content (yes, I know there is free speech) is counter-productive at best. This is because it is not aimed at developing a logical argument, it is just throwing mud and hoping something sticks. It engenders emotions – but does not develop the mind at the same time -because a thoughtful mind would see that, ultimately, this position takes energy away rather than providing energy for all of us to come up with creative solutions to get our precious country back on track.
Posted by: mom | January 18, 2009, 10:40 am 10:40 am
Geo. our last three polls show 74% of
Americans are not in the least interested in this damn dog…every
President has dogs often many but they
never put the country thru this Obama
wants us talking about him 24/7 about
his whole life….shut up about the DOG
Please for God sake find something else
to write about
Posted by: martin whitaker | January 22, 2009, 6:27 pm 6:27 pm
LIGHTEN UP!!! IT WAS A FUN LIGHTHEARTED QUESTION.
Posted by: Cara | January 23, 2009, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
My children had a wonderful labradoodle when we moved from a rental into a twin. I didn’t tell them that I’d get them a dog as soon as I won the presidency. Does anyone wonder why the Obama family had no pet but only now under pressure and scrutiny is one being considered?
Posted by: John Poole | February 5, 2009, 11:20 am 11:20 am
If they haven’t found their shelter puppy yet they should at least look at a Schnoodle . Not as large as the two breeds they are consideing , but good for those with allergies , and very smart dogs . Much more likely to show up in a shelter , Schnauzer Poodle combo so no to extremelylow [if any] shedding.
Posted by: Rose | February 23, 2009, 8:02 pm 8:02 pm