Pet Owners Prefer McCain Over Obama

Pet Owners Prefer McCain Over Obama
By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID,
AP
Posted: 2008-07-08 22:49:58
Filed Under: Elections News, Barack Obama, John McCain
WASHINGTON (July 8) - If the presidential election were up to pet owners, John McCain could have a blue ribbon in his future.


It Pays to Be an Animal Lover
Charles Dharapak, AP
An AP-Yahoo News poll found pet owners favor John McCain, the likely GOP presidential nominee, over Democratic rival Barack Obama 42 percent to 37 percent. Here, McCain, who has many pets, is seen with his wife, Cindy, and their dog Lassie Quinn in Holland, Mich., on Jan. 14.

From George Washington's foxhounds Drunkard and Tipsy to George W. Bush's terriers Barney and Miss Beazley, pets are a longtime presidential tradition for which the presumed Republican nominee seems well prepared, with more than a dozen.

Democratic candidate Barack Obama, on the other hand, doesn't have a pet, though he has promised his daughters a dog after the election, win or lose.

"From an image standpoint, nothing humanizes a candidate more than seeing him lovingly dote on his pet or toss a ball around on the White House lawn," says American Kennel Club spokeswoman Lisa Peterson.

Recall Him and Her, Lyndon Johnson's beagles who appeared on the cover of Life magazine. Or Fala, Franklin Roosevelt's Scottish terrier who received more mail than many presidents.

An AP-Yahoo News poll found that pet owners favor McCain over Obama 42 percent to 37 percent, with dog owners particularly in McCain's corner.

"I think a person who owns a pet is a more compassionate person — caring, giving, trustworthy. I like pet owners," said Janet Taylor of Plymouth, Mass.

Taylor, who described herself as a retired stay-at-home wife, owns two cats, Lady Jane Taylor and Mr. Tommy Katz.

Richard Powell, 79, of Spokane, Wash., whose dog passed away last fall, said if a person owns a pet, that "tells you that they're responsible at least for something, for the care of something."

He said pet ownership wouldn't make a difference in his vote, but if a president owns a pet, "I'm glad to know they like animals."

If voters identify with a guy who owns pets, then it's easy to see why they'd like the Arizona senator.
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Suzanne
Exodus 15:26