Decker treated by White House physician after being nipped by Barney

In a case clearly meant for “Dog Whisperer” Cesar Millan, Barney the First Dog was caught biting a member of the White House press corps Thursday in Washington D.C.

Reuters political reporter Jon Decker was bitten by the Scottish terrier and had to be treated by the White House physician, according to a source on the scene.

Decker had reportedly just finished a live shot for MSNBC at 10:35 a.m. ET and was making his way toward the briefing room when he spotted Barney and his handler on a walk, the source told Access.

After asking if it was OK to pet the exiting First Dog, Decker reached down to stroke the terrier. It was at this point that Barney reportedly “snapped” and bit Decker’s finger, breaking the skin, the source said.

Decker’s reaction was reportedly, “that’s not good.”

After heading to the lower White House press office for a bandage, someone suggested Decker see the White House nurse. The nurse, in turn, reportedly sent Decker to Dr. Richard Tubb, the White House physician, who prescribed antibiotics as a precaution.

Decker is said to be doing “fine” following the incident, the source said.

WASHINGTON - Word of warning to President-Elect Barack Obama, you probably don’t want to pet First Dog Barney when you visit the White House on Monday.

President George W. Bush’s Scottish Terrier was not feeling too friendly on Thursday when a reporter tried to say hello and pet him on the White House driveway.

Barney snarled and chomped down on Reuters Television correspondent Jon Decker’s index finger, causing some minor bleeding. White House medical staff attended to Decker’s injury and he will require a tetanus shot.

Below is the video courtesy of April Ryan, the White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks, and we’ll hopefully have a first-person account a little bit later. (Watch to the end of the video for a close-up shot of the incident.)

Obama is in the market for a pooch to keep a promise he made to his daughters to get a dog. But it looks like they’re aiming for a different breed.  However, when Obama visits Bush on Monday at the White House, maybe he will ask if he can keep Barney around after Jan. 20 to fend off pesky reporters.

Presidential First Dogs

George Washington & the American Foxhound
America’s first president was not only the father of his country but the father of the American Foxhound. He carefully bred and maintained his dogs, listing more than 30 hounds in his journals, including hounds named Drunkard, Tipler and Tipsy.

Abraham Lincoln & Fido
This floppy-eared rough-coated dog of unknown ancestry lived with Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois for the five years before he became President. Upon his election, Lincoln decided that the dog would not survive the trip to Washington and, despite the objections of his son Tad, left Fido in Illinois. When Lincoln’s body was returned to Springfield, Fido was brought out to meet the mourners.

Warren G. Harding & Laddie Boy
The 29th President not only gave his Airedale Terrier a hand-carved cabinet chair to sit in on high-level meetings, but also threw a birthday at the White House inviting all the neighborhood dogs, where they dined on dog biscuit birthday cake.

Calvin Coolidge & Rob Roy
Coolidge and his wife Grace kept an entire menagerie at their White House. In addition to a pair of white collies, Rob Roy and Prudence Prim, they kept numerous other dogs, plus raccoons, a donkey, a bobcat, canaries, a goose and a mockingbird.

Herbert Hoover & King Tut
In addition to this German Shepherd, the 31st President owned two Fox Terriers named Big Ben and Sonnie, an Elkhound named Weejie, and an Irish Wolfhound named Patrick.

Franklin D. Roosevelt & Fala
One of the most iconic first dogs, Roosevelt’s Scottish Terrier, starred in a movie, was named an honorary Army private and had his own press secretary.

Harry S. Truman & Feller
The 33rd President once famously said, “You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog.” Evidently he didn’t care much for friends, as he regifted a cocker spaniel, given to him as an unsolicited Christmas present in 1947, to the White House physician. Dog lovers around the country assailed the President for surrendering Feller, who came to be known as The Unwanted Dog.

John F. Kennedy & Shannon, Clipper, Charlie, and Wolf
Dog-lovers all, the Kennedys built a special play area near the West Wing for their children and the family pets. JFK was also the first president to request that his dogs come out to meet the presidential helicopter when he arrived at the White House.

Por: Ángela Torres corresponsal                          05-11-08

ACTOR Y FILÁNTROPO RAUL JULIA LEVY  OPINA SOBRE EL TEMA DE SEGURIDAD EN MÉXICO.

No solo ha sido su gran interés la actuación, el arte y la cultura si no también ha sido fiel seguidor de la política en México, manteniendo una postura informada y de gran análisis. Sobre todo de gran importancia en su vida, dada esta pasión hacia el bienestar mexicano y el pueblo, comenta sobre la seguridad en México que no solo le interesa, si no que le preocupa. Siendo  una persona humanitaria y totalmente interesada en el bien de México y su gente como su fiel patria, nos concede esta entrevista sobre su punto de vista a la situación que atraviesa México con la violencia y la inseguridad devastadora, de un país con gente trabajadora que merece más de lo que recibe.

Vía telefónica desde su casa en Los Ángeles CA.

Raúl gracias por tomar la llamada, sabemos que estas muy ocupado en estos momentos, pero quisiéramos hacerte un par de preguntas en toda esta situación con respecto a México y su entorno a la inseguridad, dime

¿Que opinas sobre el accidente que sacudió  a la Ciudad de México ayer en la avenida reforma en el cual fallecieron Juan  Camilo Mouriño y Santiago Vasconcelos?

R.J.L.   Ángela primero que nada te doy las gracias por darme la oportunidad de dar esta entrevista, yo siempre políticamente he mantenido mi postura muy neutral, sobre todo por que vivimos en un país, de constantes cambios, el tema de la seguridad en México es un tema que vengo escuchando desde que tenia yo 7 años, lamento mucho la perdida del licenciado Camilo Mouriño, lo poco que conocí de el me pareció una gran persona, tuve la oportunidad de conocerlo por primera vez en la toma de protesta de Felipe Calderón como presidente de México en la cena de estado, en realidad es una perdida para México la muerte inesperada de un gran político mexicano.

A.T.  Dado que tú lo conociste, y abiertamente sabes sobre el tema yo quisiera preguntarte, en estos extremos de la situación, ¿quien crees tú que sería el reemplazo perfecto que ocupase la labor que desempeñaba exitosamente Mouriño?

R.J.L.  México como te mencione antes, es un país de grandes talentos y personas muy capaces de ocupar ese puesto en estos momentos, uno de los candidatos que yo le tengo mucha fe por que es un gran amigo mió con una habilidad y un talento impresionante, para ocupar este cargo es el Lic. Ricardo Sheffield Padilla, quien hasta ahora se viene desempeñando como subsecretario de la reforma agraria, creo que Ricardo reúne todos los requisitos para poder ocupar ese puesto tan demandante y exigente.

A.T.  La situación en México hoy día es muy estresante, para todos los capitalinos, y obviamente la labor que desempeñaba Camilo Mouriño sin duda era de extremada relevancía y  responsabilidad, en anteriores ocasiones ya se había hecho notar el nombre de Ricardo Sheffield Padilla como político responsable y de impecable reputación, siendo así, en lo personal no me sorprende que lo nombres, pero ¿de no ser Ricardo a quien más tienes en mente?

R.J.L.   Como te decía Existen muchas personas capaces, obviamente quién  sea que Felipe Calderon vaya a escoger. Estoy completamente seguro que tomará la decisión correcta  brindándole al pueblo de México la persona indicada que desempeñará  responsablemente el cargo de un país tan rico y tristemente con tanta violencía.

A.T.   Desafortunadamente Raúl tienes razón en lo que mencionas sobre lo maravilloso que es México y lo triste que es tener ese alto índice de inseguridad.

R.J.L.  Pues el tema de la seguridad en México siempre me ha preocupado por que tengo familia en México y sobre todo por que México esta en un momento de mucha crisis y con mucho que combatir como, la pobreza, la economía social, y muy importante la seguridad,  si no combatimos esto de una manera eficaz puede poner en riesgo la seguridad total de toda una nación.

A.T.  Ya me has comentado sobre tu visión hacia la inseguridad de México, ahora el punto que tocas sobre la crisis económica que tiene como blanco directo a México sin duda es una de las grandes preocupaciones, sobre todo por que crisis económica es igual a gasolina y gasolina es igual a petróleo, lo que es PEMEX, 

¿cual es tu opinión al respecto de todo esto que arroja la cuestión de PEMEX, los mexicanos y la gasolina?

R.J.L.   El tema del petróleo en México, yo digo que es un tema muy delicado, por que hay millones de personas que se oponen a eso, por  falta de información o el miedo de que en realidad se vayan a ver beneficiados 2 o 3 políticos corruptos. Si en realidad el tema de la energía en México es aprobado  para veneficiar la economía de ese país, y generar más empleos, mejorar su educación, brindar oportunidades a todos aquellos que busquen de ellas, creo que siempre cuando existe un cambio en un país, la gente por naturaleza tiene miedo de el, solo espero que los resultados de todo esto, sean de verdad positivos, para el pueblo de México, y digo para el pueblo de México en general, para la gente, para nuestra gente.

A.T.  Bueno ahora ya sabemos que tienes una alta comunicación con México, que tienes familia, que estas en contacto con lo que sucede en nuestro país, pero ahora quisiera que me dieras tu opinión sobre el ahora nuevo presidente de  Estados Unidos, Barack Obama.  ¿Cual es tu opinión?

R.J.L.  Creo yo que el hecho de que haya ganado Obama las elecciones, es un beneficio incomparable, ya que traerá muchas oportunidades, sobre todo para las minorías de este país, yo personalmente lo conozco muy poco a Obama, tuve la oportunidad de hablar con el en 2 ocasiones, y me dio la impresión de ser una persona recta y justa, yo siento que el cambio también le va a favorecer mucho a Estados Unidos como nación  sobre todo la imagen de este país que esta totalmente destruida, a nivel internacional.

A.T.  Honestamente comparto tu opinión y creo que la mayoría del mundo también, sabemos que la potencia financiera de Estados Unidos recae también en nuestro país, así que la victoria de Barack Obama claramente no solo es de índice nacional si no totalmente mundial. Te agradezco mucho Raúl el tiempo brindado para esta entrevista que viniendo de ti , que conoces la problemática de los 2 países, fundido entre las políticas de ambos y conociendo a los protagonistas en primera instancia. Muchas gracias, y esperamos en el futuro nos brindes más, mucha suerte en tu carrera y actividades filantrópicas.

Pet lovers, beware, public display of care for your four-legged friend could put you behind bars.

Feeding your pet at table or giving them chocolate treats might land you in jail, if new guidelines proposed to pet owners in Britain are to be believed.

The new code released for consultation, as a part of Animal Welfare Act 2006 to prevent cruelty, recommends that chocolate, raisins or grapes are “poisonous” for pets and a dog should not be disturbed when eating as this can cause “food-related aggression”.

It also says that dogs should not be fed at the table as this can lead to begging, while “curious” cats should be kept away from windows or tumble dryers. Although, the guidance says that breaching the three codes will not in itself be a crime, however it could prove to be the deciding factor in whether an individual is found guilty in court of a pet welfare offence

The Opposition politicians criticised the “over the top” rules that “take people for fools”. Bill Wiggin, the Tory spokesman on animal welfare, said the new codes are “absurd”. “Defra has missed the opportunity to produce a set of sensible proposals that would protect animals from abuse and mistreatment. Here we have this ridiculous guide, which tells people not to walk their dog in the heat of the day or feed it at the table,” he added.

The punishment includes a maximum jail sentence of six months or a fine of up to 20,000 pounds. Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, said the new laws afford animals “greater protection than ever before”. “These three new codes of practice will outline the responsibilities of owners under the Act and give practical advice on how to fulfil them,” the Telegraph quoted Benn, as saying.

“This means no one will be able to claim ignorance as an excuse for mistreating any animal,” she added. The code of practice for dogs advises against taking a dog for a walk during the hottest part of the day or feeding it less than an hour before vigorous exercise in order to avoid “bloating”.

It also ask pet owners to groom dogs with long hair at least once a day and all dogs should have teeth cleaned with dog chews or canine toothpaste as part of routine care. Training dogs should be done through “positive reinforcement” rather than punishment that can lead to behavioural problems in the future.

HE has already been the target of two assassination plots and delivered a victory speech from behind bulletproof glass.

Although US President-elect Barack Obama will not take office until January, he will be guarded as he prepares to move into the White House.

In May 2007, fears for his life lead to him being the most heavily-guarded US presidential candidate ever, when he was placed under Secret Service guard.

The potential threats against him are numerous and are likely to come from hate groups, or any number of organisations in and outside the US.

Accordingly, Senator Obama’s closest relatives will also be affected. Family outings will be cut out and his daughters will receive protection on their way to and from school.

Already, there is speculation that Senator Obama might not live to see out his term - just hours after his victory, the term “Obama assassination” appeared on the top 100 Google search terms.

In a video shot before the outcome of the election was known, the national director of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Thomas Robb, predicted “there may be a backlash” if Senator Obama won the presidential race.

In a lengthy rant on the Klan’s official website,  the white supremacist said: “We are in a race war.”

He went on to describe yesterday’s poll as “the last real election this country is going to have” before describing Senator Obama as a Marxist whose intention was to redistribute the earnings of hard-working whites.

Four US presidents have been assassinated - Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley and John F. Kennedy - while eight have survived attempts.

HE has already been the target of two assassination plots and delivered a victory speech from behind bulletproof glass.

Although US President-elect Barack Obama will not take office until January, he will be guarded as he prepares to move into the White House.

In May 2007, fears for his life lead to him being the most heavily-guarded US presidential candidate ever, when he was placed under Secret Service guard.

The potential threats against him are numerous and are likely to come from hate groups, or any number of organisations in and outside the US.

Accordingly, Senator Obama’s closest relatives will also be affected. Family outings will be cut out and his daughters will receive protection on their way to and from school.

Already, there is speculation that Senator Obama might not live to see out his term - just hours after his victory, the term “Obama assassination” appeared on the top 100 Google search terms.

In a video shot before the outcome of the election was known, the national director of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Thomas Robb, predicted “there may be a backlash” if Senator Obama won the presidential race.

In a lengthy rant on the Klan’s official website,  the white supremacist said: “We are in a race war.”

He went on to describe yesterday’s poll as “the last real election this country is going to have” before describing Senator Obama as a Marxist whose intention was to redistribute the earnings of hard-working whites.

Four US presidents have been assassinated - Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley and John F. Kennedy - while eight have survived attempts.

FROM a pound puppy to a First Dog, the White House is to receive not just a new president but a new four-legged friend.

In his victory speech yesterday, President-elect Barack Obama told his daughters, Malia Ann and Natasha, they had earned a new dog for their support during the campaign. The girls, aged 7 and 10, have been devoted to their dad’s dream of becoming president.

Like normal young girls, Malia and Sasha, as her dad likes to call her, are also fans of slumber parties - something the White House will also have to get used to.

“Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House,” he said.

But this will be no ordinary pooch. During the election campaign, his wife Michelle announced on TV’s Entertainment Tonight they would adopt a rescued dog.

It will be just what the greenkeepers of the presidential compound need - another hound to bestow gifts on the perfectly manicured East Lawn.

Senator Obama will not be the first president with a canine companion. America’s first president, George Washington, started the trend by owning seven dogs.

Bill Clinton’s chocolate labrador Buddy was often seen by his side.

Senator Obama’s first task will not be fixing the financial crisis.

He will want to get the dog house trained, unlike Ronald Reagan whose dog, Grits, was kicked out of the White House for his pooping.

Barack Obama made history last night when he was elected as the first African American U.S. president, but he may have also made history in yet another way when he said, “I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation’s next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House.” That brief puppy mention may represent the first time that an animal has been referenced in a presidential victory speech. If not, use of the word “puppy” would certainly seem to be a rarity. 

(Credit: Robert Sebree / reprinted from A Rare Breed of Love: The True Story of Baby and the Mission She Inspired to Help Dogs Everywhere (Fireside Books)

The above photo shows Obama with “Baby,” a three-legged dog that lost its fourth limb following years of mistreatment at a California puppy mill. The toy poodle spent much of its life locked in a small wire cage. The breeders cut out Baby’s vocal chords so that they would not have to hear her cries. In cages next to her, other dogs literally went insane, spinning repetitively with blank stares. Still others were gravely ill, maimed and had filthy, matted coats. A number was tattooed on the inside of Baby’s ear, marking her as just one of many dogs at the mill.

When Baby got too old to produce enough puppies, the mill breeders planned to kill her. A passing stranger noticed the little dog in her wire cage and rescued her. Through a pet rescue web site, Baby was then adopted by psychologist and animal welfare advocate Jana Kohl, who previously worked for the Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies.

Kohl recently traveled around the country with Baby, lobbying politicians and inspiring an entire movement to end the kind of animal abuse Baby suffered. Many of the cute dogs that you see in pet store windows come from puppy mills like the one that housed the now-famous toy poodle.

Baby, an unofficial spokesdog for The Humane Society of the United States, stopped to pose with many high profile supporters, including our new president. The images were compiled in Kohl’s book A Rare Breed of Love: The True Story of Baby and the Mission She Inspired to Help Dogs Everywhere (Fireside/Simon & Schuster; June 3, 2008; $25.95/hardcover; 1-4165-6403-9).

Gloria Steinem wrote an essay about her love of animals for the book.
(Credit: Gerri Hernández)

And Baby also posed with the Chicago White Sox.
(Credit: Jamie Slade)
    

Please watch the below video to see additional photographs from the book including, towards the end, more memorable images of president elect Barack Obama and Baby.

Welcome to the Lite Tuesday Notebook, where we say hail to the chief, hell to the chef and heel to the Chihuahua as we address the most curious issues on this Election Day.

» Speaking of Chihuahuas … Did you ever wonder which presidential candidate your dog would vote for if his little paws could reach the voting machine buttons? Well, we have the answer, thanks to Hawaii Pet Nanny owner Tammy Kubo.

I told you several months ago about how Tammy had decided to conduct a poll of pets to see how pets would vote if they could. On the Web site visitmypet.com she allowed visitors to answer the question: Are you a doggie mama for Obama or a K9 for McCain? The results are in and Obama has claimed a majority of pet support with 73.9 percent versus McCain’s 26.1 percent.

Forget all those other polls you hear about, like CBS and the New York Times. They only reflect the fallible human point of view. When results from today’s election are in, Tammy’s pet poll likely will prove to have been the most reliable.

Tammy points out it is ironic that Obama won the most pet votes because he doesn’t even own one. “He’s promised his daughters he will get them a pet whether he is elected president or not,” she said. “I think he should get a poi dog from Hawaii to show he is not elitist.”

McCain would seem to have been the animal favorite since, according to reports, he owns three turtles, three parakeets, two dogs, a cat, 13 saltwater fish and a ferret.

» Grossout of the Year: I regret that I have some totally disgusting news to share with you. As president and founder of the Worldwide I Hate Mayonnaise Club, it is my reluctant duty to keep abreast of distasteful mayo-related events.

A reader alerted me to a new product that will turn the stomach of anyone with good taste: Baconnaise. I wish this was a joke but it isn’t. A company called J&D’s is marketing Baconnaise, a mixture of mayonnaise and bacon flavoring.

Is the world clamoring for mayo that tastes like bacon? The inventors, Justin and Dave, admit on their Web site they don’t even like mayonnaise. Nevertheless, they set out to see if they “could make a mayonnaise product that met our own high bacony standards.”

The result is Baconnaise, which sounds like something a dog would cough up after scarfing down your BLT behind your back.

Even worse, Baconnaise doesn’t even contain real bacon. They claim it can be eaten by vegetarians. Why they think vegetarians are looking for a greasy glob of gunk that tastes like dead pig is beyond me.

» Find Lite Easier: This newspaper’s webmaster, Rob Myers, has overseen a spectacular overhaul of starbulletin.com with many cool new features. One improvement is that it is now easier to find past Honolulu Lites. Click “Features” at the top of the page, scan to columns and voila! Lots of Lites. Thanks, Rob!