Opinion: In obvious pitch for the pet vote, the Obamas vow to get one next year

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Every White House needs a doghouse. Americans, who spend more money on their pets than many countries do on education, expect their presidents to have pets. And it’s easy in the White House because there’s not that many white carpets and always ample staff around to clean up after them.

President Bush and Laura Bush had Spot, who had the run of the Texas Governor’s Mansion and pretty much thought he was in charge. He used to hang out under the desk in the security office, where he could monitor all the cameras and alarms that told him when to bark. Then the Bushes had Barney, a gift from former New Jersey Gov. Christie Todd Whitman. And the Clintons had a dog too, but Secret Service protection apparently didn’t apply to him; he got run over in Chappaqua, N.Y.

So what are petless aspiring White House wannabes like Barack and Michelle Obama to do? They don’t have a dog. This could cost them a chunk of the crucial pet vote come Nov. 4.

Petless lives may make sense for busy young urban couples in big cities such as Chicago, which has a doggie doo-doo pickup law, and especially on that city’s South Side, which is known as the kind of lawless place that cheers for the White Sox.

Oh, what we’d give right now for a photo of Obama, his hand in a plastic bag, bending over the grass by the curb as his relieved dog pulled on the leash.

We can’t find that one yet, so we have to settle for this thing on the right, which has nothing to do with the Obamas but is cute and likely to attract more blog readers and comments about the appropriateness/stupidity of dressing up animals like people.

Never mind meeting unconditionally with the loopy Iranian president. What’s the Obama campaign’s political pet solution for the Democrats’ presumptive nominee? Ah-hah, that decision has some parental conditions. The Obamas’ decision will be postponed until after the election.

The Obamas have reportedly promised to get their two young daughters a dog. But not before the fall election. In fact, the girls have gotta wait for their doggie until next spring (because Mommy and Daddy are hoping to have a new address by then and lots of servants).

Now our blogging colleagues over at L.A. Unleashed, thanks to The Times’ Robin Abcarian, bring the waiting world word that the Obamas’ future dog could well be a goofy-looking thing called a goldendoodle. No, really. You can see a picture of one and read more by clicking here.

A presidential goldendoodle?

-- Andrew Malcolm