By SJWNY, a Trail Mix Contributor
Only two Presidents are said to have had no known pets: James K. Polk & the present occupant in the White House.
Only two.
Giving Polk a pass because no one alive today knew him, but we unfortunately know #45. The fact he has no known pets is not surprising, is it? Good pet care means caring & putting the needs of a life before your own. It means unconditional love, commitment.
Would you vote for anyone who never had a pet? This is meant as a serious question. I read a quote from Lincoln where he reportedly said that his cat was smarter than his Cabinet. It is also passed down that when the pressures of the Civil War & wife Mary got too much he would retreat outside & play with kittens, which were always in abundance around the White House. I get what he did & why he did it.
Come 2020 I offer that the first Meet ‘N Greet Debate include a question about pets. I’ll be listening. Says a lot about the person & how they are centered emotionally. This stuff matters. Just look at who we have today.
More Posts by SJWNY
sjwny, who knows, the current occupant may secretly harbor pets like rats or snakes or bed bugs or parasites — aka aides and advisors and certain relatives. but my bet is it’s a beloved gold-plated pet rock
speaking of pets, have concluded that my 8 month old puppy Bu is a labra-huahua and not a beagador.
Bu still looks about the same as this picture taken a few months ago except that now she’s 5 times larger, heavier and feistier.
To answer the question, it depends. The Obama’s did not get a dog until after being in the WH. Another answer is I will never vote for a Republican with or without a pet.
Today’s Mika and Joe is covering a lot about the intelligence community taking down the administration and Mueller poking deep into the stew which is SFB people. We should be hearing about indictments this week if Mueller keeps up his pace.
sj… wonderful post!
I do agree with BlueB… I won’t vote for a Republican even if he/she? had 100 pets. But I will admit that it softened my view of W a bit when he made his videos with Barney. He obviously loved that dog.
I’m not surprised that trump has never had a pet. Everything I’ve read about him said he was largely an absent father while his kids were growing up. He treats his wives like shit. He treats everyone around him like they’re things to do his bidding. Thank god he’s doesn’t have an animal… it’d be just another thing for him to abuse.
ps… cats rule!
sj – I agree!
Does that thing on his head count as a pet?
Seriously though, he attaches to things; he has pet golf courses, pet hotel projects, and, I believe he views Ivanker & the jerky boys the same way.
He is incapable of having a relationship with any creature, human or otherwise, except as how that entity glorifies him.
Heck, he even had a pet piece of chocolate cake.
There are physical and financial reasons many can’t have animal companions in their homes, so, I will give Donny a pass if he is allergic to pet dander.
It’s a great question, though.
Rebellious Renee gets it.
Thank You.
? ? ? ?
blueINdallas,
😉
If it makes a $, it is the most beautiful thing in the world.
There are allergy free pets, but of course one would still have to care about them.
patd,
Bu For President.
Blue Bronc,
At least the Obama had pets. I have a feeling if asked in 2008 about pets his answers would have been reassuring. Also his daughters grew up to be a responsible pet owning age after he entered the White House.
Remembering the great pictures of President Obama running with Bo …. How bleak & gray the White House has become today.
renee, you’re sooo right. cats rule. at least mine does. Bodhi, the cat, thinks nothing of ambushing the dogs Bu or Billie Bob, stealing their food, confiscating their beds and otherwise showing that his alpha male-ness as well as his felinity reign supreme.
Our household is owned by four cats. It is always a mistake to allow my son anywhere near Petsmart. Eight years ago he was supposed to choose one and got two because couldn’t stand to break up remaining kittens from a litter.
We have found that filing a couple of them at a time allows for adequate walking room.
No, unless there are financial, living or health conditions that prevent it, I don’t quite trust those without something to nurture.
jared, we hardly knew ye…. but evidently others did and do
wapo:
Officials in at least four countries have privately discussed ways they can manipulate Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, by taking advantage of his complex business arrangements, financial difficulties and lack of foreign policy experience, according to current and former U.S. officials familiar with intelligence reports on the matter.
Among those nations discussing ways to influence Kushner to their advantage were the United Arab Emirates, China, Israel and Mexico, the current and former officials said.
[…continues…]
drip drip drip
newsweek: Mueller Asking About Trump’s Russia Business Deals and Miss Universe Pageant
Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigators have been asking witnesses about what Russia could possibly have on President Donald Trump, reports claim.
Two sources familiar with the interviews told CNN late Tuesday that Mueller’s team have been asking questions about why Trump’s efforts to build a Trump Tower in Moscow fell apart and what damaging information Russians could have on him.
Investigators are also asking about the timing of Trump’s decision to run in the 2016 election and how that might have intersected with his business ventures.
[….continues….]
and earlier there was also this excellent –but long– report in the new Yorker
Letter from Moscow
February 26, 2018 Issue
Trump’s Miss Universe Gambit
For years, he used his beauty pageants to boost business interests abroad. A 2013 contest, in Moscow, may also have helped give him the Presidency.
By Jeffrey Toobin
*
Holy Chappy!
trump is inhuman…no pets, no drinking, no drugs.
In your eye Mueller! trump names parscale 2020 campaign manager. parscale in his comrade-speak has been a difficult interview in the ruskie investigation — refusing to give-up docs regarding the trump digital 2016 election heist…trump rewards parscale as he loses kushner and hope continues her white lies.
Great post, sj. We Americans love our pets!
Well I’m down to only one lone pet… a cat named Peanut. I don’t ever remember having only one… and yes, I’ve had numerous dogs too. When we get back from vacation, I will have to rectify this situation. I keep saying a want a kitten… not having had one for many years because I mostly adopt full grown cats out of a local shelter. But knowing me… if I do decide to go that route, I’ll probably take 2 so they can grow up together and bug the hell outta 12 yr old Peanut.
I think pet lovers are less selfish.
My Mama cat was a rescue. She had kittens (I took them all ) & had originally been in a home where kittens were used to train fighting dogs. These are the sweetest, most loving cats. I am so lucky to have them.
why does he need a dog that he’d kick around anyway when he has his pet whipping boy jeff?
cnbc:
Trump tweets: ‘Disgraceful’ that Sessions kicked surveillance probe to Obama appointee
Trump tweets that a decision by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the Russia probe was “disgraceful.”
Sessions has repeatedly angered Trump in moves related to the probe.
Trump’s new slam refers to Sessions’ recent decision to have the Justice Department’s inspector general review a request by prosecutors and the FBI to monitor Trump campaign official Carter Page and his suspected contacts with Russians.
fox news version:
Trump slams Sessions for using ‘Obama guy’ to investigate ‘massive FISA abuse’
[…]
“Why is A.G. Jeff Sessions asking the Inspector General to investigate potentially massive FISA abuse. Will take forever, has no prosecutorial power and already late with reports on Comey etc. Isn’t the I.G. an Obama guy? Why not use Justice Department lawyers? DISGRACEFUL!” Trump wrote.
[..continues…]
cnn:
Comey trolls Trump: ‘Lordy, this time there will be a tape’
Former FBI Director James Comey appeared to poke fun at President Donald Trump in a tweet Tuesday teasing his upcoming book.
“Lordy, this time there will be a tape. Audio book almost finished,” Comey tweeted.
President Donald Trump fired Comey last May.
“James Comey better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press,” Trump had tweeted shortly after firing Comey.
The former FBI director, responding to a question while testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee in June, said: “Lordy, I hope there are tapes.”
Comey announced later last year that he would write a book. That book, titled “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership,” is scheduled to go on sale on May 1, 2018.
Comey’s firing has been scrutinized as part of several investigations into the Trump campaign’s possible role in Russian meddling in the 2016 US election and whether Trump has obstructed justice.
Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
bw, thanks for linking about Chappy! in Ivana’s book “raising trump” … excerpt from that book review:
The book is supposed to be about good parenting. But the most important thing you learn is that we can never say another mean thing about Donald Jr. again. Really, it sounds like the worst childhood ever. His story begins with Dad resisting the idea of naming the baby after him, in case his first born turned out to be “a loser.”
As a toddler, Don Jr. broke his leg due to a negligent babysitter. Then one day when Ivana was out of town, he and Eric called hysterically to report they had found their nanny unconscious in the basement. (She died.)
Wait, there’s more: During their infamous divorce, Dad sent a bodyguard from his office to get Junior, announcing: “You’re not getting him back. I’m going to bring him up myself.”
Ivana says she responded: “O.K., keep him. I have two other kids to raise.” Silence and 10 minutes later the bodyguard returned her son.
It was, Trump’s ex-wife concluded, “a tactic to upset me.” However for some reason, at around this time Don Jr. stopped speaking to his father and wound up getting shipped to boarding school.
Good post SJ
The pet question is a good one.
I have never heard one person say anything about a human action from SFB — he has no friends…let alone a pet.
SJ, what a great catch. I’ve thought about it all day and can’t imagine any pet that would want Trump. It is quite telling.
The Pence family has pets — but he is still an asshole.
Cats and rabbits
Yes, but Pence is an asshole with a heart.
As for the story of poor, Junior…a lot of us us had crappy childhoods. His actions as an adult may be explained by his upbringing, but they are still his choices. He’s a lying, sniveling, spoiled, mean-spirited jerk. Junior is just a nut that didn’t fall far from the tree. Sympathy for the son-of-the-devil? Nope.
Hmmm…Eric called because they found their nanny dead in the basement? Who dun-it?
What’s your favorite presidential dog. For me, it’s Fala, no brainer.
Parscale is another TX ass-hat.
If TX was one of the states that suffered Russian, cyber-interference during the election, I wonder if Trumpsky’s digital genius knew about it?
BO, because I got to see him up close when I was touring the WH garden/grounds. He was very sweet with kids on the tour. His handler just happened by and was nice enough to stop for just a minute.
BARNEY, for taking a dump on air behind W.
patD – BU is adorable!
jamie – Nice filing system.
Somebody needs to give Trumpsky fake intel; see if he feeds it to Jared & it ends up in Moskva.
Having pets while in the service was hard. When Kumcho and I returned to Korea in ’67 we left Sally, her St Bernard with the family behind us in Cleveland with condition that she was theirs for life; she was less than two years old. We had our next family dog in Panama, the human dachshund, Faden. She was well above marvelous. She went with us to Las Vegas but we had to leave her there with Sue when we went to the UK–no way that she would have survived their horrendous detention upon arrival.
And, we always had the occasional feral cat ending up on our rear door step. How do they know?
according to the presidential pet museum
President Donald Trump, 2017-present (bio)
No pets so far — but possibly a puppy named Patton
published in dec 2016:
A Goldendoodle May Join the Trump White House
…… an adorable 9-week-old goldendoodle (golden retriever/poodle designer hybrid) puppy named Patton, according to The Washington Post.
Lois Pope, a Trump booster from Florida, says she has offered to gift the puppy to Trump, and she’s confident the little doodle will canoodle with the next president soon enough. “I’m sure,” she told the Post.
“He said, ‘Go over there and show it to Barron,’” Pope recounts of her Thanksgiving weekend conversation with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida. Barron is Trump’s 10-year-old son with wife Melania. A “big smile came over” the boy’s face, Pope says.
Patton is named after the famous World War II general, whom Trump admires.
Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for the incoming president, says “no decisions have been made” about pets, according to the Post. Trump does not currently have any pets.
Gifts of pets are quite common for U.S. presidents. Even if Trump does accept the puppy, it’s not known whether the cute ball of fur would be joining him at the White House. Melania and Barron are planning to stay in New York City through at least the spring of next year, so it’s possible Patton would stay with them at Trump Tower.
Regardless, Pope is convinced the puppy will ease Trump’s transition to the presidency — even though the pooch still needs to be house-trained.
“He’s a good boy,” she says. “A good boy.”
HOWEVER A MONTH LATER according to the inquisitor:
Barron Trump Not Getting Goldendoodle Puppy After All: Philanthropist Withdraws Offer Of A Dog To Trump’s White House
Barron Trump won’t get a Goldendoodle puppy after all. It looks like he’ll have to wait a little longer before getting the family’s “first dog” in the White House.
Back in November it was reported that Donald Trump was approached about taking a Goldendoodle puppy as Barron Trump’s “first dog” in the White House. He knew Barron would love the pup and it was a possibility they’d adopt the pooch — a half Golden Retriever and half Poodle breed of dog. He was even named “Patton” after one of Trump’s favorite military heroes.
As the New York Post reported, Lois Pope, a philanthropist and longtime friend of Donald Trump’s, rescinded her offer to give the family its “first dog.” Pope has bonded with the dog over the course of last few months and can’t bring herself to part with him.
Ironically, Barron Trump’s father was reconsidering the offer as well. Pope explains that the President-elect cited his busy life over agreeing not to take the dog.
Pope said she and Donald Trump “went back and forth” about the subject until it was ultimately decided that no Goldendoodle was going to be in the White House for now. Pope notes that when she was potty training the dog, he messed in the house a little bit and that’s not something she figured they’d like at Trump Tower.
If the Trump family opts not to have a dog at the White House, it would be the first time since 1901 that a sitting president and his family doesn’t have a pet. Trump officials haven’t returned messages for comment over the family getting a dog.
[…continues…]
I like the idea of Woodrow Wilson’s sheep
his favorite was a ram named old ike
Flatus… yeah… I always thought stray cats showed up on our doorstep because they could smell my other cats. The last one we took in was hanging around outside just before a big snowstorm. I opened the door and in runs this cat and heads straight for the cat food bowl ( I always have dry food out for them) and ate like he was starving. Rick said “oh crap, like we need another cat”. But he named it Bob and it was his best friend for many years.
Charlie
I hate Trump and I don’t understand how anyone can feel good about him as president. It’s an embarrassment to hear him speak.
comments like this are what can get under twit’s thin skin…. the wimpy wuss in chief
the hill:
CNN political analyst and Democratic strategist Paul Begala accused Trump of being a “wuss” in responding to Russia.
“Why is Donald Trump, a man so tough he says he would rush into a school shooting unarmed, why is he such a wuss and a wimp about Russia?” Begala said on “Anderson Cooper 360.”
“What do the Russians have on him? Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe it’s just there’s something about Mr. Putin that our president just worships and adores. But the evidence, the direct evidence is just catastrophic for him,” he said.
and another bites the dust…. jumps ship…. sees the light…. escapes?
ny times:
Hope Hicks to Resign as White House Communications Director
What another day is like. Within roughly one hour, SFB states police should confiscate guns and handle the “process” later. Then Hope Hicks, mini-skirt model, resigns to purse other ventures. Unstated is that she is probably making nice with Mueller to avoid a long stay in Florence, Colorado.
And as mentioned on MSNBC Nicolle Wallace, not enough time to talk about the most lost in space cabinet secretary, Carson, and his redecorating.
Trying to keep track of all of this is Amy Siskind and The List.
If they armed teachers. 🙂
Hope Hicks resigning? Does that mean there’s no Hope in this administration?
Corey – how true.
I am sure hope hicks will be able to leave the white house while maneuvering in those short, short skirts (or are they wide belts?) without much peril.
SJ…you have piqued my curiosity on potus pets. Martha Washington had a parrot! The First pets were numerous…Washington’s dog’s names —
Drunkard, Mopsey, Taster, Cloe, Tipsy, Tipler, Forester, Captain, Lady Rover, Vulcan, Sweet Lips, and Searcher, all hounds
A reply to Ms. HH leaving the WH (on her own or fired by SFB for saying she lied):
I guess Hope’s little, white lies were more than a “hick”-up to Mueller.
Kudos to Dick’s Sporting Goods for at least making a move in the right direction.
Congress has shown itself to be impotent due to the corporate ownership of its members.
Citizens and businesses will just have to take matters into their own hands.
Oooeee! Noregard gave lip to Donny’s nasty tweet about him. A far cry from Jeff crying in a car & threatening to quit (according to Reince).
Trumpsky must be spitting mad.
Geeeeez…. popcorn for everyone!
At this point anyone who agrees to work for trump is just a chump…
RR – America’s popcorn growers are looking good. All the rest who thought they would export to Mexico, less so.
Rural South Carolina ………..so many pets in the ground.
I’ve never thought of them as “pets”…….they were always there, like Cousin Buster, and just another mouth to feed.
A lot of my share of love-giving went to a bunch of animals……so many……70!years of dogs and cats
Me and Poupon d’Fleur outside of the Aurora Motel, Denver, 1983.
Sturgeone – nice picture. Looks like July 4th. Typical summer in Denver. (I do my best to drive people away from Colorado, too many there already)
1983 I lived in Westminster and worked for Amoco. Most of that winter I was working in Dacono trying to update the software running the oil and gas field. January the temp went down to -20F in Denver. The wells were freezing shut it was so cold. At least the steam trucks were able to keep up with thawing those out so Denver did not freeze.
We got there…..83…… and they had a blizzard …….we were good with it.
we got our 72 caprice out of the snow and went looking for ice cream……..
Trump and pets? Do the Penthouse variety count?
Craig
Scotch Terriers are wonderful dogs. When I was a teen we had one named Cinderella. FDR had excellent taste. Also nice picture of Socks at the top.
Re cats moving in unexpectedly. I’ve always assumed there was a cat language similar to the ones hobos had during the depression …. “You can get fed at this house”.
The photographer was pregnant with our child, now 30- something and working at Forbes
Neve underestimate youth.
Hope’s sprung. External?
Corey – Come around more often.
We currently have 2 cats, a dog and a parrot. It is a pride, a pack a flock and a family all rolled into one.
Jake the cat showed up on our back steps about 8 years ago. Some folks moved in to the house catty cornered over on the next block. Jake was in the van. The guy said it was his cat(called him cat btw) but Jake never believed that. I think he walked across the street and hit up Mrs Jack and Jan who lives across the street. Jake lives with us but he owns the neighborhood and greets everybody insisting to be petted. So I told the kids that wait for the bus that Jake isn’t homeless he is just friendly. As a result more people know Jakes name then know mine. Was pointing to a knew Hispanic neighbor where I lived and she said, “Oh yes Jake”
Jack
When Jake was a young cat he had a boy named Ian. One day we heard a knock on the back door. Ian had tyhis huge super soaker squirt gun. With a big grin He said “can Jake come out to play?” They went across the street to his house In the front yard Ian would shoot a stream of water and Jake would chase it. It was a Calvin and Hobbes summer for the 2 of them. Jake really missed Ian when Ian moved. Jake would probably approve of us getting a boy to add to our collection.
Jack
Corey,
what BiD said, come around more often, I almost never go over to face book any more.
Pets? Nah. Too much a part of the family. Too much emotional connection for all the dogs and a couple cats I’ve had as part of the family over the years. My current knucklehead dog is about my age as dog years go. She’s getting a little gray where she used to be black and can’t jump into the car anymore and her eyes are a bit milky but she has her moments and is a wonderful part of the family.
The last 36 hours has been the absolute worst for trump since the usurper took over the W.H.
A. Yesterday the pussypincher named the new head of his ‘re-election campaign’, and today that same guy is involved in yet another scandal.
B. & C. 3 people left the W.H. including the closest non-family (unless she’s carrying his baby) official – & including the top 2 people in trump’s WH communications (the stupid model and josh “turkey” raffel dep’t.
D. The 1st big name (well, just jeff secessions, actually) to support trump for president just gave his boss the finger, by having dinner with the #2 and #3 guys in the DoJ and mugging for the photographers after sassing back to the fuehrer. (Hooda thot it possible ???)
E. trump said on national tv that he wants to seize guns !!! & w/o due process !!!!!!!!!!
F. Yet another new scandal : it turns out jared got more than $500,000,000.oo$ in loans from Apollo and Citibank at meetings IN HIS WHITE HOUSE OFFICE !
Mueller interviews Corallo next, and that’ll be set the obstruction case in stone (just not roger, yet). Someone should do the kind thing and put a loaded pistol (1 bullet) in trump’s sock drawer.
We outlived our animals. However, we have adopted some plants.
Doesn’t Ivanka count?
“The more internet comments i read the more i like my pet” -not seen on bumper sticker
I can’t wait for my community to get a steel foundry! They really jazz up a neighborhood.