Share

Dogs well positioned in 2020 US presidential race

It's impossible to say who will take on Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, but if he is defeated by a Democrat, it's likely that a dog will return to the White House after a multi-year absence.

Whether named Maple, Bailey, Champ or Skye, a dog appears to be a must-have accessory for Democratic candidates seeking to take on Trump, who stands out from his predecessors for, among other reasons, not having a pet.

From the third minute of the speech launching his campaign on April 14, Democratic phenomenon Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of the city of South Bend in the state of Indiana, brought his two dogs to the fore.

"I grew up in South Bend, in the same neighborhood where Chasten (his husband) and I live today, with our two dogs, Buddy and Truman," Buttigieg said.

The couple's two dogs have their own Twitter account with nearly 70 000 followers.

Canine photo line

Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts also placed her golden retriever front and center in her bid for America's highest office, putting the dog on the same footing as her husband.

"Today, I thought I'd bring the two guys in my life: Bruce and Bailey. If anyone wants to stay around and take a picture, I'll be here and we can do that, and Bailey will be out there with his own separate photo line," she said to delighted cheers from supporters.

Photos and videos show her bathing Bailey or taking selfies with the pooch.

Another Democratic hopeful, Beto O'Rourke, has two dogs, Artemis and Rosie, who are the stars of many family photos.

Among others vying for the presidency, Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio is accompanied by Bear and Buckeye, dogs he has referred to as "two of the best friends our family could have asked for".

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York bombarded her supporters with images of Maple, her goldendoodle, a cross between a golden retriever and a poodle.

National Dogs in Politics Day

Former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper has a dog named Skye, which he featured in a video on Instagram in which he spoke with his arm around the pooch.

"Hi, I'm John Hickenlooper. This is my faithful dog Skye and I'm running for president," he said.

In a country where people celebrate "National Dogs in Politics Day," man's best friend sometimes plays a decisive role.

Accused of receiving illegal campaign contributions, California senator Richard Nixon defended himself in a television and radio address before 60 million Americans on September 23, 1952.

He assured them that he had accepted only a single gift – a dog for his children named Checkers.

Thus managing to strike an emotional chord with the country, Nixon saved his candidacy, and the "Checkers Speech" went down in history.

On the other hand, any failure can be expensive in the politico-canine era.

During elections in 2008 and 2012, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was reproached for a dark episode dating from 1983.

In June of that year, the Romney family traveled over 1 000km from Massachusetts to Canada, with their Irish setter strapped onto the roof rack.

Despite the installation of a windshield aimed at protecting Seamus, the dog suffered diarrhoea.

Returning to the 2020 race, of all the dogs in the running, Major and Champ are in the lead, with their master former vice president Joe Biden the current Democratic frontrunner.

The Biden couple's dogs could then potentially succeed Bo and Sunny – the Obama family's Portuguese water dogs – in the White House.

Before Barack Obama, presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton all had dogs.

Both generations of Bush presidential families also had dogs: Barney and Miss Beazley, George W. Bush's Scottish terriers, even had a website, Barney.gov.

Sully, George H.W. Bush's Labrador service dog, accompanied the former president's casket to Washington, where his funeral was held in December.

KEEP UPDATED on the latest news by subscribing to our FREE newsletter.

- FOLLOW News24 on Twitter

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you think corruption-accused National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will survive a motion of no confidence against her?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, her days are numbered
42% - 384 votes
Yes, the ANC caucus will protect her
58% - 526 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.94
-0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.91
-0.0%
Rand - Euro
20.43
+0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.34
+0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.2%
Platinum
910.50
+1.5%
Palladium
1,016.25
+1.4%
Gold
2,220.77
+1.2%
Silver
24.87
+0.9%
Brent Crude
86.09
-0.2%
Top 40
68,346
+1.0%
All Share
74,536
+0.8%
Resource 10
57,251
+2.8%
Industrial 25
103,936
+0.6%
Financial 15
16,502
-0.1%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE