Dogs and Cats Join the Presidential Race

Politics can be ugly. Politics can be exciting. Or fun. Some disenchanted folks are even running dogs and cats for president. That upstart Daisy the Curly Cat has been drafted and I must admit that Daisy is a formidable opponent. Do you remember Morris the Cat ran for president in 1988 and again in 1992? Daisy, may I remind you that Morris did not win?

However, I brought the Monte for President campaign to light last September and want to remind everyone that this dog can hunt. Dear gentle new readers might wonder about my connections to the candidate and what’s Monte’s story. So, to recap, here goes.

Monte’s mother, a survivor of Hurricane Katrina, found herself displaced and a long way from home when she was relocated to northern Illinois. Like many other Katrina survivors, Monte’s mom depended on the kindness of strangers until she could get back on her four feet. However, she was pregnant and soon gave birth. But, this new mother could not take care of all of her offspring; and thus, my son and daughter-in-law adopted Monte. You see Monte is my granddog.

Although Monte is an English Springer Spaniel, he is true-blue American through and through. Monte is a graduate of puppy obedience school with post-graduate follow-up training with the instructor. He is generally affable and makes friends easily at the dog park. He would be a great president. Everybody’s friend so to speak.

His positions are several and worth noting: spread out on the kitchen floor ready to clean up any problems with dropped food, curled up on the sofa by the window keeping watch on the borders for possible intrusions from illegal squirrels, resting dutifully with one eye open in his crate when his master and mistress are busy with fiscal matters and running joyfully through the worst of winter’s storms.

He has vowed to accept only small donations. PetSmart, Petco, Petland and some rather big vet pharmaceutical companies have been in touch, but Monte has made it clear, he will entertain no lobbyists nor their fancy offers. In the interest of public disclosure, though, it should be noted that Monte does have a couple of vices: the weight of the world’s problems is sometimes so great that he must arise earlier than normal creatures and this of course necessitates his security detail’s attention. Another potential issue that Monte believes he should disclose is that he has a weakness for belly scratches.

As the Democrats and Republicans winnow down their candidates, Monte’s campaign team is now poised to step forward proudly with a candidate whose all four feet are firmly planted on the canine values of love, loyalty and licks. He’d be happy to have your support for the odds are a lot of fur is going to fly.

Click here to get your own Monte campaign gear.

Thank you John Edwards

John Edwards was my guy until recently when that upstart Barack Obama stole my heart. Edwards was constant in his words to what he set out saying when he threw his hat into the presidential ring. However, his message never gathered steam, and today he’s chosen to withdraw from the presidential race with class and grace, and for that, I thank him. His voice is one we needed.

Who will his supporters choose now? For me, it was always a clear-cut choice: either Edwards or Obama. Never did I consider Hillary Clinton. It was the electability issue. It was the arrogance, sense of entitlement and those “35 years of experience” in the ways of old-school politics and tactics. I never longed for a “co-presidency” and did not care to go “Back to the Future.”

So now Hillary’s put the choke collar on Bill and given it a big yank. Former President Clinton has chilled out his rhetoric but only after the Clinton campaign lost Sen. Ted Kennedy’s endorsement of Barack Obama--an endorsement that logically should have been hers.

Whether this endorsement will help Obama win over the hearts and votes of Hispanic voters and other core Democratic factions remains to be seen. However, the symbolism is striking. I hope he picks up some Edwards’ supporters too and that this combination will be enough to propel him ahead of Clinton, who continues to lead in some big states.

I do have great hope. Maybe you’ve seen the new Obama ads with Caroline Kennedy speaking over the images of her late father. Do you remember how energized and proud Americans were back then? The positive tone of this ad speaks to the reason Obama has touched so many tired Democrats who have for so long dutifully gone to the polls and voted with the party though disappointed and disillusioned.

Now, with Obama’s campaign we have a glimmer of hope that the old divisive and destructive ways of politics might change.

Who Can Inspire

Today, at least for today, I am very pleased that the Establishment is left scratching their heads after the results are in from the Iowa caucuses. If Iowa is indeed the microcosm the media has made it, both Republicans and Democrats want our next president to be different. Sen. Barack Obama and former Gov. Mike Huckabee are of course different, but they are alike in that they spark hope in their supporters. Americans want a president who inspires us and one who is authentic and genuine as best as we can tell.

For the time being Hillary Clinton has been left behind as has Mitt Romney. They come from far different backgrounds than Obama and Huckabee. Clinton grew up in Park Ridge, Illinois, an affluent suburb of Chicago. She graduated Wellesley and Yale Law. One of my sons pointed out that she’s spent much of her adult years living in a governor’s mansion and then the White House. Romney grew up the son of a governor.

Fundamentally, I believe most Americans are tired of political dynasties. It is time for change and the populist tone of this presidential season will only get more intense. And here’s the new buzzword for you: authenticity.


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This Dog Can Hunt

Tired of the usual suspects? Unhappy with the candidates running for president? I have the perfect candidate for you—Monte the English Springer Spaniel.

Lobbyists will soon be flocking to Monte’s door, but all it takes is a good belly scratch and a treat for this candidate. Oooops! Hope there’re no incriminating photos. Monte will flop (but not flip-flop). And he is honest as the day is long. Have you ever known a dog to lie? Well, he does lie down on the sofa, but you know what I mean.

None of the Above

I bounce between hopping on the Sheila soapbox and writing about the impending empty nest. Today’s installment is political and I’m mad at the Democrats and the Republicans.

But I will focus on the Democrats and save the rest for another day. My message: Don’t take this Yellow Dog Democrat for granted. Sure, I have been a party loyalist. The first presidential candidate I ever voted for was George McGovern back in 1972 when I was a student at the University of Alabama. I am unhappy though with party leadership or rather I should say, the lack of leadership.

The more I hear, endlessly it seems these days, the more the pack of candidates seems to blend together into one big “none of the above.” I am tired of polls, pundits and politicians. I am tired of lobbyists who can buy a voice. The few little dollars I can contribute are so small as to be laughable. Who the devil am I kidding?

I used to think my vote counted, but I no longer think that. So to quote my favorite South Park character Cartman, “Screw you guys. I’m going home.”

Longtime dear gentle readers will know, I cannot pull away entirely. Here’s what I am doing, though, and I urge you to check this out friends. I am thinking about joining Unity08.

The Atlantic chronicles the birth of Unity08:

Over dinner, some of the best political minds of the 1970s, Republican and Democratic, reached bipartisan consensus: none could any longer recognize the political parties in which they had once been major players. The cynical focus on divisive “wedge” issues and the ferocious negativity of recent campaigns, which fed in to an inability to govern once elected, dismayed everyone at the table.

If you watch much TV, you have probably seen actor spokesman Sam Waterston on The O’Reilly Factor, Joe Scarborough’s MSNBC Morning Joe or Chris Mathews’ Hardball. I’ve looked at the names of people putting themselves behind this effort. They are a bipartisan group. Here and there you may read about the efforts of Unity08. I just noticed the Washington Times had a piece recently, and a professor who studies political rhetoric said she thought the lack of a candidate and agenda would hurt Unity08. She is quoted as saying,

"It's going to hurt them because there is nothing substantial that well-meaning, critical American voters can hold on to," she said. "They're using Sam Waterston as spokesperson because he's identifiable, but most of us think politics in terms of an ideology, and there should be people, ideas and beliefs that are tied together, that are shared by people. And if discontent with the status quo is your only unifying factor, that's not going to be enough to hold it together, in my opinion."

To which Unity CEO Robert Bingham replied:

"We are not going to have a candidate until June of 2008," he said, but predicted the primaries will leave "a lot of people that are going to be disappointed and disaffected. And so we think that those folks will come our direction, and because they will feel like the system isn't going to produce the solutions that they expected."

From the Web site of Unity08:

Unity08 believes that neither of today’s major parties reflects the aspirations, fears or will of the majority of Americans. Both have polarized and alienated the people. Both are unduly influenced by single-issue groups. Both are excessively dominated by money.

Be warned, Democratic Party muckety-mucks. This Yellow Dog is shopping around. You probably aren’t going to listen to me. You didn’t the last time about John Kerry. And the Hillary Clinton bandwagon seems to be gaining more and more of the Big Mo. Funny, though, none of my fellow Democrats whom I have asked are supporting her. What I hear most often is “I don’t trust her.” And if there are any Hillary supporters who read this, I’d dearly love to hear from you. I’m polite and would welcome your two cents before I take my ball and go home.

photo by Scott Noblitt during a school trip to the Big Apple.