Reporter: "Will he sleep in a bed?" President Obama: “Not in my bed.’’

[ClarkUSA]

He may be the leader of the free world, but he still has to walk the dog.

“We all have to take turns walking the dog,’’ President Obama declared Tuesday, as Bo Obama, the newest – and only four-legged — occupant of the White House, made his much-anticipated Washington debut. Then again, the president had his two young daughters with him. What else could any self-respecting father and new dog owner say?

“We’re trying to be responsible dog owners,’’ he later confessed... This we now know as a result:

Bo has not yet had any accidents in the presidential mansion. “We’re trying to keep her from having accidents,’’ Mrs. Obama said, mistakenly using the female pronoun even though Bo is a boy. (No offense intended, Bo, but with your curly black hair, white front paws and carefully-groomed tail, you do kind of look like a girl.)...The president allowed that Porties, as they are called, likes to eat tomatoes.

“Michelle’s garden is in danger,’’ Mr. Obama declared. Not to worry, Mrs. Obama said – the garden doesn’t have any tomatoes... Barney was allowed in the Oval Office. Will Bo have similar privileges?

“Of course,’’ Mr. Obama replied.

Will he sleep in a bed?

“Not in my bed,’’ the president said.

Heh heh. }(

[firedupdem]

1. Funny! I called my boy dog a girl for weeks. My boys would get

so upset..."it's a boy mom!".

[ClarkUSA]

2. lol! Michelle probably getting corrected by her girls, too.

[cyndensco]

14. I don't know...

If they correct her, I doubt we will ever be privy to it.

Yesterday Michelle referred to the "Easter Egg Hunt" when welcoming all her guests. I think all her family recognized the error and I was so impressed neither of the girls said, "It's Easter Egg ROLL, Mom." My kids certainly would.

Those girls are so poised - I think they know not to correct their parents in public. In private though, yeah, they are correcting her. :)

[maxsolomon]

3. my neighbor has called my cat and my dog "her" for 8+ years.

they're both boys with boy names.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

4. Cut to...

Shot of Obama and Michelle's bed. Bo is snuggled between them. Obama can't sleep and looks pissed. He's grumbling.

[alsame]

5. "Not in my bed". Uh, huh. That's what we all say at first.

:rofl:

[firedupdem]

6. You're right! LOL!!

:rofl:

[Captain Hilts]

7. My generation was raised to think all cats were female and dogs male. Jane played with Puff and

Dick played with Spot.

[Drunken Irishman]

8. You said Dick...

:o

[Captain Hilts]

9. heh, heh....nt

[dalaigh lllama]

11. Ha! That's what I always told my kids

We had cats and dogs and tho one of the cats was male I'd keep calling him "her." Drove my kids nuts, but I gave the same explanation you just gave. Good to drive the kids crazy -- I considered it fair payback. }(

[kaiden]

16. We had a male cat named "Emma."

When we had him neutered, he became "Emma Leo."

[Luminous Animal]

24. I had a girl named Steve

and a boy named Daffodil Daisy Rose.

[sammytko]

26. My neighbors have a male Siamese named Tinkerbell

After he grew some appendages, they started calling him Tink or Tinker. Those things are gone now.

[Withywindle]

22. That's a pet peeve of mine (pun intended)

As someone whose parents always insisted on female dogs (thinking they're better behaved) who has, as an adult, lived with many handsome boy cats.

I think somewhere out there, there are people who are really so stupid they think dogs and cats are the males and females, respectively, of the same species.

[Cha]

10. Surprised Michelle's garden

doesn't have any tomatoes for their salads!

[gblady]

12. I'm sure they will.....

it's a bit early for them to be in the ground...
probably still in the greenhouse.

[Cha]

15. That's right! Tomatoes like

heat..yummy:9 I've never gardened yet but I have plenty of friends who do.

[kestrel91316]

13. It's APRIL. Tomatoes are a summer crop.

[Cha]

17. Thanks, I remember now..They'll

have to think of something then to protect their tomatoes from Bo the tomato loving dog.

[elleng]

18. And considering the weather around here,

we may NEVER get to tomatoes this year!

[Captain Hilts]

19. You shouldn't plant anything like summer vegetables until about the 20th april. nt

[sammytko]

27. my tomatoes are already the size of ping pong balls -

I live in Texas. My brother has had tomatoes all year round. He keeps them covered during the winter and they still produce.

[ClarkUSA]

30. That reminds me-- buy tomato plants to put in the ground after the danger of frost is over.

Yum. Strawberries, too. Good thing we don't have a Portie. ;)

[elleng]

20. VIDEO here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2009/04/14/VI2009041402498.html?hpid=artslot

[elleng]

21. Was Michelle trying to give him a treat,

or get something from his mouth?

[csziggy]

25. I was wondering if that was one of those clicker things

A lot of people swear by training with those. But they did make the comment they had no treats with them.

[ClarkUSA]

31. No clicker, Malia was holding out a treat and finally got Bo to sit...

... while Michelle was comforting him and protecting him from the glare of the media like a mom with a kid.

[ShortnFiery]

23. I remember our double bed sleeping four when stationed overseas.

Our Old English Sheepdog, Pointer Mix, hubby and I all in a double bed when living in Okinawa, Japan.

Good times! But it brings new meaning to the phrase, "Make your buddy smile." :evilgrin:

[sammytko]

28. We have a double bed and sleep 7 -

1 Lhasa (who looks exactly like Bo) 2 Pekes, 1 Chi and 1 cat, plus 2 humans.

[ShortnFiery]

32. Kudos! I bow to The Master.

;) :hi:

[skooooo]

29. Duh. Bo is transgender. nt

[ClarkUSA]

33. "I've finally got a friend. Took some time," President Obama joked. TIME has more quotes (link) -->

So the president stood by, offering to answer some canine questions, buying Bo some time to smell the ground.

Who will walk the dog? "We all have to take turns walking the dog." Is Bo neutered? The president nodded. Where will the dog sleep? "Not in my bed. We set down that rule a long time ago." Do you remember what Truman said about dogs in the White House? Obama smiled. "I've finally got a friend. Took some time," he joked.

The rest of the family took turns wrangling the First Beast. "I love him. He's perfect," announced Malia, 10. "Are you doing okay? Yes you are," purred Michelle as she rubbed the puppy's head. "He doesn't know how to swim," advised Sasha, 7.
Hours earlier, before the FDOTUS stakeout had begun, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs had fielded a question about the dog. " I don't know what I'm supposed to tell you about the dog," he said. "I don't know the exact movements of the dog."