Posted on 08/30/2009 9:30:27 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) was years ahead of the curve when it came to Take Your Dog to Work Day. The constant presence of his three Portuguese water dogs in his Russell building office helped humanize their owner and brought a sense of fun to a workplace known for rules and formalities.
Now, lobbyists, staffers and other Hill dwellers say they mourn not only the passing of Kennedy but also he end of a unique chapter in Capitol Hill’s canine history. With their black curly hair, floppy ears and bouncy gait, Kennedy’s dogs became a part of the lawmaker’s nearly 47-year Hill tenure.
Kennedy’s Senate office always had water bowls and tennis balls on hand. Major legislation was hammered out as White House officials patted fuzzy heads and threw balls during meetings. The dogs were known to snooze under committee room tables.
“It’s like the end of an era,” said Kennedy’s former judiciary committee general council David Sutphen. “I find it hard to believe you’ll have another senator with a dog who comes to meetings all over the Capitol. It’s kind of the closing of a chapter.”
With the exception of the Senate floor, there were few places Splash, Sunny and Cappy didn’t have access to, including committee hearings and, once, even the Oval Office. It was a rare day when the Massachusetts lawmaker wasn’t shadowed by at least one of the pooches, whether Kennedy’s schedule brought him an office full of visitors or a committee bill markup.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
I bet the janitors won't miss them.
woof!
But Kennedy’s dogs weren’t saints either. Like a parent of spoiled children, the senator was loving but a poor disciplinarian.
Well, this is news. Their owner wasn't human? Who knew?
There are plenty more dogs there to take up the slack.
I will miss his dogs but I won’t miss the swimmer.
Maybe Obama/Patrick will put one of the dogs in Kennedy’s Senate seat like the Romans put a horse in the Senate. At least the Romans knew their senate was totally corrupt like ours is.
That Senate seat is Kennedy property.
“Well, this is news. Their owner wasn’t human? Who knew?”
Well maybe that guy named Beelzebub, who Teddy may be seeing shortly, knew.
I’ll bet dollars to donuts that those dogs learned how to hump their first leg from ‘The Swimmer’ himself.
I’m sure after detox they would make fine pets for someone.
all just part of a image rehabilitation plan perhaps
can’t wait until the Senate proposes building a new Kennedy wing on the Capitol and adding 10 Senators, all named Kennedy of course.
the ‘pride’ just honoring the ‘lion of liberalism’
From the Pet Connection
He brought his dogs to work? In that case, we must pass Health Insurance Reform, now!
Oh yeah.
Don’t our coins say
In Dog We Trust
Do it for the Dogs, to heck with Teddy.
He owned water dogs?
Oh the irony.
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