This doesn't look good.
The story of the Biden dog got worse, the more I learned. The Biden dog, Commander, had been biting people every couple of weeks for nine months. People got hurt and needed puncture wound treatment at the White House Medical Unit.
I realize that this error by Biden is infinitesimal compared to Trump trying to undermine the Constitution. I am not claiming equivalency between being an inconsiderate dog owner and trying to overthrow the republic. Trump is worse. That said, I think Democrats must be clear-eyed about errors by fellow Democrats, whether it be in policy, in behavior, or as political malpractice.
Commander biting people is body language. It is a thing -- an event -- that tells a story at first glance. It is a mentally sticky story because it undermines the Biden brand. It gives rise for some voters to think that the whole image of "Scranton Joe" -- the old-school supporter of the working guy -- is a hypocritical lie. I watched Joe Biden tell union firefighters he cares about them. That is the Biden in speeches. |
| New Hampshire, fall 2019 |
But actions speak louder than words. Nothing signifies disrespect and entitlement so much as Biden tolerating a dog who bites Secret Service employees.
It looks bad because it is bad.
It exemplifies an unattractive part of the Biden story. That is the one where he tolerates intolerable behavior by members of his "family," be it Hunter or Commander. Blindness to wrongdoing speaks to Joe Biden's competence and judgment. Those are the supposed Biden strengths.
Possibly I dislike dog bites more than the average person. I was bitten on the forearm by a large dog as a five-year-old and I still remember it. Maybe some people are OK being around an aggressive dog with a reputation for biting people. I'm not.
I think Biden was a disrespectful employer and a negligent dog-owner. Commander needed at the first or second incident to be adopted out to a calmer environment. But it took two dozen incidents to persuade Biden to move Commander out of the White House last fall. And if Commander was too dangerous to be safely placed elsewhere, then he needed to be put down. What Biden could not do is tolerate owning a dog that regularly bites federal employees.
If I were on the Republican communications team, I would make a big deal about this. It would be a version of the "Swift Boat" attack strategy, where you criticize the opponent at their point of strength.
Just look at Biden's sense of entitlement! You think he cares about working people? Ha!
Maybe the ad would have images and sound of a snarling German Shepherd. Maybe get video from a disgruntled former employee. Maybe intercut some images of Hunter so people get the connection that Joe Biden is blind to corrupt and dangerous behavior.
Is there a defense for Joe Biden? If he claims ignorance, he risks making the point that he is a clueless. He cannot easily claim he thought Commander was improving because the incident log shows Commander kept biting at a steady pace. Maybe he can try the indulgent-parent approach, and say Commander is a good dog who was just trying to help the Secret Service protect him. Biden can present himself as a character we all know, the overindulgent dog lover.
Some dog lovers will like him for that, but I have little sympathy for dog owners who tolerate dangerous dogs. Commander proved himself to be dangerous. My sympathies go with the employees. Biden's first loyalties were owed to them
Biden screwed up. He can apologize and hopes this fades from memory. Maybe it will. Possibly Republicans are too busy chasing fantasies of the stolen 2020 election to realize their opportunity.
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14 comments:
I was bitten on the chest as a five-year-old and still have the scar. I've also owned dogs and love them, as long as they're lovable. I know some folks think their dogs are people too but if that's the case, they should be arrested for shitting in public, not to mention biting.
Remember, Commander's White House predecessor, another German Shepherd, this one named Major, was also removed from the premises after multiple biting incidents.
Maybe the problem is the environment rather than the dogs. D.C. has produced an awful lot of snarling and biting, but not much else. For example, instead of funding the government, House Republicans have instead scuttled an immigration bill, halted Ukraine aid and made fools of themselves in two impeachment dramas. When they get back from recess Wednesday, they'll have about two days to avert a government shutdown. It’s like déjà vu all over again.
My late wife and I were privileged to have many German Shepherd dogs over our married life, and in those 30+ years, I was the only person ever bitten by one if our Shepherds, and it was entirely my fault, not the dogs.
That said, I agree with Peter about the dog, Commander. It seems to me whoever is in charge of training the Biden dogs is quite incompetent, at best, and the President really dropped the ball by not sending Commander home after the first incident, and not doing so after multiple incidents is inexcusable.
After the first incident, my thought was that it was entirely possible the Agent was displaying what the dog may have perceived as a threatening movement or agression towards the President , but we will probably never know. I do hope Commander and Najor both get the rehabilitation training they need, and Biden learns something from this.
Mike, It has occurred to me that stress of being in a pressure cooker environment like the White House is what caused the dogs reactions, which D does not excuse the President for sending his companions home.
For NOT sending his dogs home. Sorry.
Old Yeller: https://www.axios.com/2023/07/10/biden-temper-us-president
Time to put that dog down.
At about the age of 4, I was possibly bitten (or scraped my knee getting away) by a dog they never found. I ended up getting 14 anti-rabies shots in my stomach, one per day for two weeks. Not fun…
Getting a German Shepherd is a crapshoot especially for an old guy w a 24/7 job that can’t hang out w his dog 24/7. He’s had them forever but it might be time to invest in a poodle.
Bullshit ! Time to get thecdig some proper training and out of the hi stress environment of the White House.
Maybe it's time to start putting down Domestic Terrorists calling themselves Patriots ?
Is this the Onion?
More realistically, both those digs need more training, and less time in such a high stress environment as t he White House.
I have been a dog owner for most of my adult years. All 3 were rescues, and all quite good except for one incident for dog #2 who bit my brother in the crotch one Christmas Eve.
#2, Gabe, was left on our doorstep one day as we lived out in the rural part of Washington Country.
Dog #3, Bailey, was the best, as we made sure he was socialized. He attended sons HS sporting events, and during the holidays, he was adorned with a Santa hat as we did our urban walks in Portland. Young children would ask us if it was OK to hug or pet Bailey. We thanked the parents for training their children to ask before attempting to approach our dog.
The owner is responsible for the dog's behavior, period.
The actions of the two First dogs, tells us a lot of how President Biden has dealt with problems. His dog, his responsibility.
This tells us a lot about how Biden deals with his staff. Apparently, not quite under the control of the President.
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