Posted on 04/04/2014 7:42:25 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
George W. Bush: Vladimir Putin ‘dissed’ Barney the dog By: Tal Kopan April 4, 2014 08:13 AM EDT
Former President George W. Bush is unveiling a new painting exhibit Saturday that features some of his renderings of the world leaders he worked with during his time in office, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Vladimir Putin, yeah, I met with him a lot during the presidency,” Bush said as he described the painting during an interview with his daughter, Jenna Bush Hager, for NBC’s “Today” show. “I got to know him very well. I had a good relationship throughout, it became more tense as time went on.”
Previewing the never-before-seen works, including by the leaders depicted themselves, Bush said the paintings reflect his relationships with the leaders.
“Vladimir’s a person who in many ways views the U.S. as an enemy,” Bush said. “And although he wouldn’t say that, I felt that he viewed the world as either the U.S. benefits and Russia loses or vice-versa. I tried of course to dispel him of that notion.”
Bush said he learned some of Putin’s character when he introduced the Russian leader to another one of his favorite painting subjects: his dog Barney.
“Our dear dog Barney, who has a special spot in my heart. I introduced him to Putin: Putin kind of dissed him,” Bush told his daughter. “‘You call that a dog?’ A year later, your mom and I go to visit Vladimir at his Dacha outside of Moscow and he says, ‘Would you like to meet my dog?’ Out bounds this huge hound, obviously much bigger than a Scottish Terrier. And Putin looks at me and says, ‘Bigger, stronger and faster than Barney.’”
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
We have a three and a half pound Maltese, and the whole planet should rejoice that he’s not 90 pounds and four times larger in size: I’d let him outside to potty and he come back later on carrying human body parts and automobile tires in his mouth, probably.
Utterly fearless beast with a strict sense of guard dog duty and an enormous ‘little guy’ chip on his shoulder. Flies into combat at the drop of a hat.
Not a big Putin fan, but got to go with Vlad on the dog thing.
&&
Same here. Silly little dog for a grown man.
“What exactly is foo-foo about a Scottie?”
I know... it’s an alligator with hair. I’ve seen what they can do to large farm rats and even ground hogs.
Vlad’s got to know that you need the right size dog for the job. A Borzoi (Russian Wolfhound) ain’t going to cut it when you need a tunnel rat (Vietnam reference).
Yeah he needs a big truck.
At my son’s high school, the guy with the biggest truck is rumored to have the biggest “set”. Guys try to get a really big truck so they can have the honor. This year, the biggest truck award goes to.....my son’s girlfriend’s F250.
When she pulls into the lot, you see people deflate. It’s her dad’s truck.
I thought Barney was Laura’s dog.
I have a mixed terrier and she is just as you said - feisty and won’t back down, regardless of the size of the other dog She tried to take on a huge German Shepherd last week. That do would have eaten her for lunch, but she stood her ground. Bless her heart. Fortunately, that over-sized shepherd wasn’t hungry.
“Bigger, stronger and faster”
That was pretty much the Soviet’s attempted strategy for then entire cold war.
Putin did the same thing to Obama. He brought his dog out and said “This is a dog”. Obama pushed Michele forward and said “No this is a dog”. Putin capitulated.
Bush should have responded “Vlad, it’s a dog, not a penis.”
“Hey Vlad, I see that big dog of yours. Got any BBQ sauce” -Barry Obama
Bigger dogs are often bemused & confused when confronted by a small dog that’s “all-in” for combat.
Awww. Here's mine, though he's 5 pounds. He's not particularly a tough guy, though he fears almost nothing.
I know... it’s an alligator with hair.
An alligator with hair, LOL. As someone who owned Scotties for many years, that's one of the best descriptions I've ever heard. When the first breeders were setting the genes that would eventually result in the AKC-recognized Scottie breed, this is how they decided which of their stock to use for furthering the desired breed characteristics: they'd put a live badger into a closed barrel. Then they'd put the Scottie dog into the barrel with the badger. If the Scottie dog lived, they used it for breeding.
He literally would protect us with his little life:
Yup. As a group, terriers are feisty little buggers. You could make a case for a Yorkie being a “foo-foo” dog, but remember that group also includes the dreaded pit bull!
As I recall, shih tzus were originally bred as guard dogs.
That’s because they were bred to kill vermin.
When he gets on the back of the couch to look up and down the street for intruders and guard the house — I tell people he’s looking for YETI.
They were indeed, bred to guard temples in Nepal and Tibet.
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