Labrador Retriever in Chief?
As I worked out on the elliptical machine the other day at East Bank Club, there was a comical juxtaposition of programming on two large TVs next to each other.
One TV broadcast the highlights of the 11th Annual AKC/Eukanuba National Championship dog show from this past December. The organization’s website says of the show, “not only is it the largest invitation-only dog show in our history, but it is the largest dog show in the country this year.”
Labrador retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Rottweilers, Pugs, Border Collies and more posed eagerly for the camera, quickly trotted through their paces and stood by nervously while their competitors had the spotlight. Handlers straightened hair, spoke words of encouragement and gave last-minute instructions.
Meanwhile, on the TV directly to the left, a rather long CNN promo for the GOP presidential debates rolled along. There, a Newt, a Mitt, a Ron and a Rick posed eagerly for the camera, sprinted up steps to the podium, and smiled nervously while their opponents spoke. Handlers stood by, nodding in agreement, whispering advice and brushing the lint off well-tailored shoulders.
I chuckled out loud at the similarities. While political debates and primary races often are called “beauty contests,” I couldn’t help but think of the current GOP primary campaign as a really long dog show.
And, I imagined a yard sign favoring “Labrador Retriever in Chief.”
- Kathy Schaeffer
