Posted on 12/12/2008 4:09:08 PM PST by lewisglad
Clinton's Socks the Cat Near Death December 12, 2008 05:25 PM ET | Bedard, Paul | Permanent Link By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers.
We have some bad news today on the presidential pet front. Socks the cat, probably the most photographed presidential kitty in history, has cancer and isn't expected to live. "His days are numbered," says Barry Landau, a friend of Socks' master, Betty Currie.
Landau, a presidential historian and author of The President's Table, tells our Suzi Parker that the Currie family could have put Socks on feeding tubes, but decided against it.
"They fear he is too old," adds Landau, who is writing a book on presidential inaugurations. And a second source told us that Socks is gravely ill.
Recall that Currie, who lives in Southern Maryland and was Bill Clinton's personal secretary, took Socks after the Democrats left office. At the time, Hillary Clinton had been elected to the Senate and Bubba was moving to New York to run his foundation.
In recent years, Socks has been hanging out at Currie's Hollywood, Md., home and sometimes making guest appearances. But since we last wrote about Socks, his conditions have worsened and included weight loss and kidney problems.
Southern Maryland Newspapers Online did a wonderful story about this last year, quoting Currie's husband Bob saying what lots of us pet owners say: Socks "lives better than I do."
Linda Kulman, who ghost wrote Hillary Clinton's book, Dear Socks, Dear Buddy: Kids's Letters To First Pets, was saddened by the news, telling me, "He is the last of his kind."
For the book, Kulman, says she "spent time" with Socks and Clinton's first pup Buddy. "He was nothing but a gentleman. He was elegant and a perfect resident of the White House." She adds, "he won't soon be replaced."
The Clintons adopted Socks in 1991, when Bill was still governor of Arkansas. Neither the Curries nor the Clintons had immediate comment.
The only one in the clintoon family that I actually care about. Sad.
May be of interest, RE: kittys.
That’s what he gets for going near Fort Marcy.
Poor baby.
How sad poor baby
Love your tagline! Ash rules!!!
How sad poor baby
Frankly, I'm surprised he wasn't found suicided in Ft. Marcy Park.
Socks is at least 17, probably older. Not bad for a cat. We have one that turns 17 in a few months.
Thanks. Yeah, I have Army of Darkness the Boomstick edition sitting on my dvd shelf.
Frankly, I’”m surprised he wasn’t found suicided in Ft. Marcy Park”
Oh I’m sure some idiot will add him to the ridiculous death list.
Sad to hear but Socks has had a great run making it to 17 years old! He’s probably had a pretty good life, too.
Good long life for a cat, but still sad to hear. Godspeed, Socks.
Socks was a great cat. I love animals, this breaks my heart. I hope the kitty doesn’t suffer. Godspeed
Well, Buddy’s already on it. - One has to admit that most people (even celebrities)aren’t so heavily involved with people who comprise so many mysterious deaths.
Our longhair tortoiseshell lived to 17.5. Found her outside as a kitten, and she stayed indoors the rest of her life.
It’s always hard to lose a pet, though.
Socks knows the truth about Obama!
Especially a Clinton cat.
Roger that. I was sitting here terribly missing having a kitty too, when I ran across this story.
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