I'm posting my column here in case you didn't see it in the paper or online and so we can talk about it. There are so many other presidential pets you might remember I couldn't fit it:

I'm a political junkie who watches all the talking-head shows. Since I'm also a pet junkie, I thought I'd mix the two and dig up some tidbits about presidents and their pets.

There have been true animal lovers in the White House, but I also believe many pets were used more as public relations tools. And in my not-so-humble opinion, many presidents weren't exactly responsible. Some examples:

Gerald Ford had a golden retriever named Liberty, who had a litter of pups while in the White House.

The Carters had a dog named Grits, given to daughter Amy by her teacher. Grits was later returned. Amy also had a Siamese cat.

Ronald Reagan had a dog named Lucky, a Bouvier des Flandres who was exiled to the Reagan ranch after she "grew too big," and who was replaced by Rex, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel.

When Bill Clinton was president, the family had a Labrador, Buddy, and cat, Socks. I can't help but think they got both a dog and cat to cover all bases. After they left office, they gave Socks to Bill's secretary. Buddy was killed by a car. Today, the Clintons have another Lab.

President Bush has two Scottish terriers, Barney and Miss Beazley. Barney came from a litter of puppies born to a Scottie owned by former New Jersey Gov. Christie Todd Whitman; Miss Beazley came from a breeder. He also had an English springer spaniel, Spot, who died at a ripe old age. Spot was the offspring of George Sr. and Barbara's famous dog, Millie. The senior Bushes also kept one of Millie's pups.

George and Laura also have a black cat, India. Funny we never hear about the cat. Maybe she crossed the president's path too often as he headed to the situation room.
All these tales set bad examples. I have no doubt the pets have been loved and cared for, but I don't believe anyone should breed a pet unless they are professional breeders who devote their life to the betterment of a breed. Pets should be spayed and neutered, unless they're heading for the show ring. And giving a dog the boot because it got "too big" for the White House? Please.

And what's with all the purebreds? Why not adopt a mutt from a shelter? They're the all-American dog, a mix of "nationalities," just like us two-legged citizens. That would be a message worth sending to a country that euthanizes millions of pets each year. It certainly would be an improvement over the prancing around in hunting garb shooting ducks for the press.

So, how do current candidates stand up?

Not so well. As reported in Newsweek a few weeks ago, the son of Mike Huckabee was fired from a job at a Boy Scout camp in 1998 after he was accused of hanging and killing a stray dog. Reports allege then-Arkansas Gov. Huckabee used his clout to smother the investigation. The son's excuse? He was putting the dog out of its misery. Huckabee told Newsweek, "There was a dog that apparently had mange and was absolutely, I guess, emaciated."

Disgusting. A human with an ounce of compassion would take the dog to a vet, not carry out a canine lynching. Huckabee should have sent his son for intensive psychological treatment, not cover up or make feeble rationalizations. Today, the Huckabees have a hunting dog, Jet, and a Shih Tzu, Sonic. Hope junior lives far away.

Then there's mechanical Mitt, who once transported a family dog in a crate tied to the top of their vehicle for a 12-hour drive to a vacation spot in Canada, according to the Boston Globe. The family had to make an unplanned stop when brown liquid from the crate flowed down the back windshield. Romney pulled into a gas station, hosed off the dog and the vehicle and pushed on.

Dogs often lose stools under extreme stress, but I guess to smooth operator Romney, keeping to schedule was more important. Currently, the Romney's are pet-less. They recently "lost" dog Marley, a Weimaraner, but no word on what they lost him to. Hopefully it was old age and not a highway.

John McCain, on the other hand, seems to be a great animal lover with four dogs, a cat, two turtles, a ferret, three birds and 13 fish at last count. And according to New York Times political blogger Mark Santora, McCain once saved his dog Coco, a mutt, from choking on a treat.

Finally, a candidate with a mutt!

Democrat Dennis Kucinich has three pound-rescued pups, so he's cool in my book too. John Edwards has a Lab and a golden retriever. Rudy Giuliani doesn't have any pets, nor does Barack Obama, though he says his two daughters want one.

You might think I'd dislike those sans pets, but you'd be wrong. Not everyone is ready, or a pet lover. But I do expect those who do have pets to treat them like a family member. And my vote just may reflect that, because how a person treats animals tells you a lot about their character.