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.
But, but...I thought animals didn't get sick. At least according to this quack: http://www.deaddoctors.com/
re: “His days are numbered,” says Barry Landau, a friend of Socks’ master, Betty Currie.
Cats have masters? Dogs do, but any self-respecting feline would find the idea of having a “master” objectionable.
I don't know what's going on here but a short while back I got into a war with a long time ally on certain subjects. The war occured on a Michael Phelps thread for heavens sakes......
I think over two years of presidential politics has caused a lot of people, myself included, to harbor a lot of anger and anxiety and their (mine too) only release is via this forum.
There's a time and a place and a thread for everything I guess but these harmless threads about pets should be held sacred. Oh well.......
Poor Socks! My kitty died in August, so the Clintons have my sympathy for just this one time.
It took nine long years, but he finally did himself in about six months ago.
What's "news" is noting the once esteemed U.S. News and World Report is now apparently competing with MAD Magazine and 'Cracked' genre of periodical.
Btw, Time Magazine will be doing a huge retrospective on the Clinton family dog, Buddy, next month.
that is one dignified cat, the silly photographers don’t bother him one bit.
'Dane' transcended "ridiculous."
She was a dopey pro-Illegal Invasion shill who belonged in a 5x5 dungeon in abu Ghraib.
Sad news. Such a cute kitty. And the only Clinton I ever liked.
Well said!
He was really a handsome fella, so much personality in those eyes. That said, 17’s an old cat, folks. It sounds like he was cared for pretty well to make it that old.
You got that right. This is the first time I've ever commented on an article being inane since I became a member almost 2 years ago. I like cats, too, but it's a freakin' cat. Cats die. Maybe ya'll are the ones who have something to get over - and it might be yourselves.
Thanks so much for letting us know! I'm making sure to put it on my calendar so I'll be sure I don't miss it!! :~)
“A cat is NO TROUBLE “
Are you nuts?? I have a cat that sits in front of the tv, blocking the remote signal, sings all night, not howling or other cat stuff but !sings! all night. He runs in front of my feet and flops on his side. He grabs things from my hands and runs off with them. He sneaks outside with the dog if I don’t watch carefully, he lies about having had his treats, trying in vain to convince me he’s starving. He finds the fluffy girl cat quite fetching, though he certainly shouldn’t be able to. He sits, unmoving, for hours on a lap, generating heat enough to warm the block. He’s nothing BUT trouble.
“This is what passes for news nowadays. Pitiful. :~/”
Oh Boooo Hissss!! I’d hate to be you.
hehehe! :~P What’s your problem? I said I like cats too! Geesh! I’m sad the dang thing’s dying too! I’m taking a day off from work for mourning the day he dies, ok?!
17 is the oldest for us, and he’s and inside/outside. Our most recent two will be strictly indoors.
“but it’s a freakin’ cat.”
This makes three posters who are on Santa’s blacklist! We seem to have come upon a nest of surly critters that need to go somewhere else.
“Gracie is our newest resident troll, replacing the ridiculous “Dane.” Gracie really doesn’t like mean talk about the opposition, as you can see.”
Gracie? Who is that? My daughter’s name is Grace. Never Gracie. She would have been appalled at “Gracie.”
As far as mean talk, that’s not the deal. I hate irrational idiocy, like the stuff on the “death list.”
Everett wrote:
hehehe! :~P What’s your problem? I said I like cats too!
Okay Everett, I have Santa put you back on the ‘good’ list. The other two are toast though.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.