Well, thanks for that concession; I’m sure everyone who is thinking about choosing a pet is glad that you agreed it’s *their* personal decision, and not a decision which belongs in the hands of others.

re: “However, when President, then Senator, Obama made the decision to announce at a public news conference that the family was looking at shelters it changes everything. Their private decision was no longer private, they invited the public in.”

Huh? How exactly? If the situation were reversed, would YOU let total strangers force your hand or narrow your choices in this decision? Would this furor even be happening if he’d promised the kids a gerbil or a goldfish?

The US President is a public figure–which makes the public privy to a lot of stuff they normally wouldn’t know about the guy. Still, just because we are treated to a day-by-day of a lot of his moves doesn’t give us counselor status. Just because a public figure discusses a decision his family is considering does NOT ‘invite the public in’ to the decision-making process. We don’t get to vote on where he sends his kids to school, which color ties he picks…or what kind of family pet they choose and where that pet comes from.

How incredibly presumptuous to think that public interest groups should even be invited into the discussion, much less that he should listen to the viewpoints of thousands of strangers with their own agendas above the interests, needs and preferences of his own family!

The PWD is a challenging breed and i’m actually surprised the Obama’s chose it for there first dog. They need tons of exercise, careful grooming and lots of mental exercise.

Maybe a Toy breed would have suited them better!