When the Master is Away, the Dog Will Play
EmailABC News' Jon Garcia reports: With his master, President Obama, safely aboard Marine One on his way for a week overseas, First Dog Bo wasted no time cutting loose — holding his own impromptu press scrum in the Rose Garden. The 8-month-old Portuguese water dog, with a yellow tennis ball in his mouth and still on his leash, greeted the press corps with a wagging tail. Asked what he thought about Obama's upcoming speech to the Muslim world in Cairo Thursday, Bo ignored the question and, instead, attacked the fuzzy microphone cover on one of the TV cameras. One wire service reporter snatched the ball from Bo's mouth, and Bo bit back but too late to grab the ball. Instead, he turned over on his back and reveled in the press attention–and the belly scratch.
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Think anyone outside of Jake can report the dog honestly? They sure can’t report Obama honestly.
Posted by: drjohn | June 2, 2009, 8:13 pm 8:13 pm
Great job Tapper. This is probably one of your bests posts to date. Perhaps it’s best that you stick to reporting about the dog, and stay away from the pesky confusing elements of the human political world.
Posted by: AsC | June 2, 2009, 8:36 pm 8:36 pm
So who was walking Bo?
Posted by: DRJ | June 2, 2009, 9:21 pm 9:21 pm
Finally some hard-hitting news!!
Posted by: Jenn | June 2, 2009, 9:31 pm 9:31 pm
But, ASC, this was not posted by Jake, is who no doubt off to Egypt along with the president. It was written by Jon Garcia. And how can you divorce a report on Bo from the “pesky human political world.” The dog did not appear on the lawn for a press frenzy all by his little old lonesome. The WH folks wanted a diversion and good PR as the president starts his world travels, the plans for which have been met with mixed reactions, depending upon one’s political persuasion. Dogs, like babies, are a great way to generate good feelings.
Posted by: moderate | June 2, 2009, 9:58 pm 9:58 pm
This is a “feel good” story people!! Bo gives up hope that inspite of the problems, we will get through this time and be all right! God’s little creature asures us of hope!
It isn’t a useless story, but shows the beautiful of all life and cute moments!
Posted by: gypsylady | June 2, 2009, 10:22 pm 10:22 pm
He is so cute.
I think they should put a collar which wraps around his shoulder not on his neck .
Somebody should check on his collar very often in order to make sure he is not chocking.
Especially he is only a puppy and still growing.
Posted by: catleya | June 3, 2009, 12:40 am 12:40 am
Thanks Jake! Loved the Bo story.
Posted by: Julie | June 3, 2009, 2:36 am 2:36 am
Where was the dog’s teleprompter?
Gee, I’m really interested in Obama’s dog. Nothing like the media getting it’s priorities straight. Forget about the economy, about GM going bankrupt, about Iran’s nuclear program, N’Korea’s missile tests, Pakistan falling to the Taliban …..
Let’s concentrate on important stuff, like Obama’s dog.
Posted by: Terry | June 3, 2009, 4:58 am 4:58 am
How do you know Bo didn’t have a teleprompter? Like his master, PRESIDENT Barack Obama Bo is a very charming and intelligent member of the family. He wasn’t about to allow the press to trip him up so you Republicans would have something to whine about more then you already are.
Posted by: V. Brame | June 3, 2009, 6:39 am 6:39 am
I thought the Republicans wanted GM to fail. Were not you people the ones who were calling for the government to not give the auto industry bail out money and allow them to go bankrupt? Now every time you turn around the Repubs are yelling about what Obama should be doing for GM. The RNC is schizophrenic.
Posted by: V. Brame | June 3, 2009, 6:55 am 6:55 am
Goodness, even on a simple cute story about a dog people still cannot resist posting anti-hate rhetoric…….we are turning in to a nation of complainers and winers………………………..
I have to agree with you. Some people live to complain about Obama. The person said why talk about Obama’s dog instead of GM, the Taliban, etc. To be honest, them topics have been dominanting the news. A “break” now and then from bad news is good, in my opinion….and to that guy who thinks they are concentrating ONLY on Obama’s dog–look around the page. There are a LOT of other headlines to feed your “I hate black presidents” mental attitude.
Posted by: LOfromMO1 | June 3, 2009, 9:08 am 9:08 am
Goodness, even on a simple cute story about a dog people still cannot resist posting anti-hate rhetoric…….we are turning in to a nation of complainers and winers………………………..
I have to agree with you. Some people live to complain about Obama. The person said why talk about Obama’s dog instead of GM, the Taliban, etc. To be honest, them topics have been dominanting the news. A “break” now and then from bad news is good, in my opinion….and to that guy who thinks they are concentrating ONLY on Obama’s dog–look around the page. There are a LOT of other headlines to feed your “I hate black presidents” mental attitude.
Posted by: LOfromMO1 | June 3, 2009, 9:10 am 9:10 am
Okay, I’m confused– genuinely. I read at the top of the stack about “haters” and “whiners” and an “I hate black presidents” attitude. So I scrolled down to see this terrible vitriol. WHere is it? I see some comments joking about teleprompters and about the diversion of interest. I myself contributed the first “so they trot out the dog to generate good press” comment myself. But quite honestly I do not see anything that sounds at all hateful and I see no references, either over or covert, to the president’s race.
I suspect that just as there truly are knee-jerk commentators who just automatically bash the White House no matter what the subject, there are others who come on here and criticize anyone who does not universally praise everything the president does, regardless of the subject matter. You are fighting a straw man– “how dare they attack the president in such a hateful way.”– because there was no such “enemy” to be found on the board.
Posted by: moderate | June 3, 2009, 9:24 am 9:24 am
Bo is the only thing I like about the Obama administration.
Posted by: bailey | June 3, 2009, 9:28 am 9:28 am
What an adorable puppy.
Posted by: Axey | June 3, 2009, 9:29 am 9:29 am
sorry thought you were talking about Mrs
Posted by: Joeray | June 3, 2009, 9:56 am 9:56 am
Wow no reports on Hillary at Oas, or her mentioning two high profile cases of american children taken to foreign countries, but Bo the dog now that’s hard hitting news.
Posted by: rachel | June 3, 2009, 11:01 am 11:01 am
Since when can’t we have a fun story about the President’s dog? We have always seen newstories about the Presidential Pets since the beginning of the Presidency. Lighten up everyone, we don’t need death, destruction and hate on every page of the news.
Posted by: Kris | June 3, 2009, 11:17 am 11:17 am
Moderate said “The WH folks wanted a diversion and good PR as the president starts his world travels, the plans for which have been met with mixed reactions, depending upon one’s political persuasion…”
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And maybe Bo just had to poo….. I understand how Bailey feels…Barney was the only thing I admired about the Bush administration and I, really enjoyed his website.
Posted by: Olivia | June 3, 2009, 11:22 am 11:22 am
It’s fine to have these stories if reporters are reporting on other things, but it seems that these stories are all we get when there is much more going on in the world that should be reported on.
Posted by: rachel | June 3, 2009, 11:30 am 11:30 am
Rachel, there are plenty of stories about other topics — they’re all over the home page. ABC has to offer a mix of serious and light stories, that’s the way media organs work and always have.
Posted by: Eleonora27 | June 3, 2009, 12:29 pm 12:29 pm
I’ve never seen a family that loves the press so much, even the newest member, they don’t even need coaxing.. and the press loves them back..
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | June 3, 2009, 2:55 pm 2:55 pm
Anyone who wants to waste their time (and mine) by combing the Internet just looking for anything to twist so they can deliver a vicious rant against our president either has too much time on their hands or is Ann Coulter. Like Jon Stewart says, losing is supposed to taste like a **** taco. You are traitors to America. Isn’t that what you said whenever anyone disagreed with King George II?
Posted by: HateWillNotWin | June 4, 2009, 1:14 am 1:14 am
I love news articles about Bo – he is so hilarious! More please thanks.
Posted by: Jen | June 4, 2009, 8:39 am 8:39 am
It is so pleasant to see the reporters have a soft side . I thoroughly enjoyed seeing them with “BO.” It is nice to have a happy story rather than all that negative rhetoric from Hannity and Limb. However, I am sure they will have something to say tomorrow about the dog. We all could use a smile now and then. Keep it up “Bo.”
Posted by: talmag | June 7, 2009, 2:06 pm 2:06 pm
Terry: get a grip. Can we not have a nice story for a change….can you not stiffle your hatred for one day? At least this dog did not bite the reporter. He is cute and we all love a dog story so stop with the negativity and enjoy life for just one moment.
Posted by: talmag | June 8, 2009, 11:10 am 11:10 am