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Secret Service agents were outraged last year by the White House’s attempt to downplay bite injuries caused by then-first dog Major — even trying to get President Biden to personally pay for a damaged coat, newly released documents show. Secret Service leaders also sought to keep attack details out of official paperwork — at one point rejecting an agent’s “excessively detailed” account to avoid upsetting the first family — after Major bit agents on eight consecutive days. The records, released in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by Judicial Watch, show that attacks occurred both earlier and later...

Bo, the president's Portuguese Water Dog, arrived separately on one of two MV-22 Ospreys, a hybrid aircraft which takes off like a helicopter but flies like a plane.

Gov. Jerry Brown has brought in the big gun -- his dog, Sutter Brown -- to do some ankle-high lobbying on the issue of a special election that would allow CA voters to weigh in on budget issues. We kid you not: here's the latest You Tube moment in the California budget wars, this one starring the cheeky California Corgi, who is now part of a tongue-in-cheek drive called "Doggies for Democracy." Looks like Sutter -- after doing his first "excloo" with us here at SFGate.com -- is now a media sensation who can be found pimping, uh, pushing his...

Parents everywhere, take heart: Even the Obamas have trouble getting their kids to keep all the promises made when begging for a pet. "I got up at 5:15 a.m. in the morning to walk my puppy," first lady Michelle Obama said Thursday of Bo, the Portuguese Water Dog who joined the family Easter weekend, fulfilling President Obama's campaign promise to daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7. "Even though the kids are supposed to do a lot of the work, I'm still up at 5:15 a.m. taking my dog out. So for everyone who has a child asking for a puppy...

Secrets of FiDOTUS revealed! Bo is "crazy," a senior White House official divulged yesterday. The newly arrived Portuguese water pup "likes to chew on people's feet" and cause commotions. "Oh, he is a crazy dog," the official confirmed. Uh, wait -- turns out this was all on the record. So we can tell you the canine briefing was delivered by none other than Michelle Obama to a young audience assembled at the White House for the annual Take Your Kids to Work Day, reports our colleague Richard Leiby. The first lady disclosed that Bo made such a racket the night...

WASHINGTON (AP) - First dog Bo is a "kind of crazy" puppy who likes to chew on people's feet, Michelle Obama told children visiting the White House on Thursday. The first lady is spending a lot of time walking and training the 6-month-old Portuguese water dog who became a member of the president's family last week. An energetic breed, Bo plays well into the night, as he did on Wednesday.

My name is Bo. I’m not sure why I’m here. They brought me over a few weeks ago from that puppy training place in Virginia to “get acquainted,” whatever that means. Immediately, I couldn’t stand the place. First they had that wild staring lunatic who’s missing part of a finger follow me around with a hydraulic pooper scooper and biodegradable wee-wee pads, just in case I had to go in the Oval Office. I hear it wouldn’t be the first time someone defiled that floor, so what’s the big deal? They also had me meet that guy Gibbsy. You know,...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Animal rescuers voiced disappointment on Monday that President Barack Obama and his family chose a purebred dog from a breeder over rescuing an unwanted animal from a shelter.

Barney the first dog bit a White House reporter today. Apparently it wasn't the first time. Jon Decker, a political reporter for Reuters, had just finished a live shot for MSNBC at 10:35 a.m. when he spotted Barney and his handler on a walk. He bent down to pet him. Look out.

Sports dominated presidential photo opportunities today. President Bush welcomed the New England Patriots to the White House for winning the 2005 Super Bowl. As honorary chairman of the 2005 President's Cup, Bush received golf officials in the Oval Office. Coming soon: Crown Prince Abdallah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the ranch on April 25; and President Martin Torrijos of the Republic of Panama to the White House on April 28. Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island!

President Bush traveled to New Hampshire, continuing his "educate America" plan regarding Social Security reform. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan spoke before the Senate Banking Committee hearing, urging a go-slow approach on personal Social Security accounts, saying that while he embraces the idea central to President Bush's proposed overhaul, he is concerned about stability in financial markets. [I translate this to be good news.] Dr. Rice testified in the Senate regarding the Secretary of State's budget. Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island!

President Bush and Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski (link to press conference) met for the fourth time in the Oval Office "to discuss international policy," Iraq, training Iraqis, Bush's upcoming trip to Europe, Ukraine, making it easier for Polish citizens to travel to America, etc. Bush participated in a class-action lawsuit reform conversation, saying, "...A capitalist society depends on the capacity for people willing to take risk and to say there's a better future, and I want to take a risk toward that future. And I'm deeply concerned that too many lawsuits make it too difficult for people to do that."...

President Bush will deliver his annual State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress tonight at 6 PM Pacific time. A live webcast is available here. According to CNN, quoting a top aide, "President Bush will present 'a strategy for success' in Iraq and outline details of his Social Security proposal." Judge Michael Chertoff testified during his nomination to become Homeland Security Secretary before the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. President Bush plans a late February trip to Europe to seek additional assistance from the European Union and NATO in Iraq, and to meet...

President Bush met with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at the White House and held a joint press conference (worth reading). President Bush and Vice President Cheney met with panelists at a session entitled "The High Costs of Lawsuit Abuse" during the White House Conference on the Economy at the Ronald Reagan Center in Washington. The two-day White House-sponsored event is aimed at boosting President Bush's economic agenda. First Lady Laura Bush *and Barney* visited patients at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington. The Washington Post reported that Jenna Bush will teach at Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public...

Yahoo News caption: A Secret Service agent chases Barney, the pet dog of U.S. President George W. Bush, as he struts past a line of well-wishers seeing off the President at Waco TSTC airport November 28, 2004. President Bush is returning to Washington after spending the Thanksgiving week on his ranch in Crawford, Texas. (REUTERS/Jason Reed)

The Bush's welcomed King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain to a private visit at Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas, for the afternoon. Mrs. Cheney participated in topping the national Christmas tree in DC. President Bush ordered an internal review into whether the Defense Department should run covert paramilitary operations traditionally mounted by the CIA, administration officials said November 23, 2004. The presidential directive, signed by Bush last week, asks the CIA and the Departments of State, Defense, and Justice to report back to him in 90 days on "whether or not the paramilitary operations, currently under the...

The president, in an official visit, met with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to discuss ways of working together to protect democracy, human rights, the rule of law, fight terrorism, drug trafficking and promote development through economic growth and opportunity. He also met with Colombian youth Little League Players. One outcome of the APEC summit, Bush and China's President Hu Jintao discussed China, Taiwan, and North Korea. Writes a New Zealander, "Bush again hijacked the agenda at this year's Apec summit, using it to mount a new attack on the "Axis of Evil" nations North Korea and Iran. It was a...

Extending grace and compassion to the PETA crowd, along with another more particularly touched by the action, President Bush pardoned the national Thanksgiving turkey at the White House today. Staffing changes: Bush named Harriet Miers as White House counsel, to succeed Alberto Gonzales. Margaret Spellings, the current White House domestic policy adviser and long-time Texas associate, was chosen by President Bush to replace Rod Paige as Education Secretary. The president met with National Medal of Arts recipients opera composer Carlisle Floyd from Latta, S.C., left, and dancer, producer and choreographer Twyla Tharp, of Portland, Ind., in the Oval Office. Bush...

In his Saturday radio address, President Bush said, "Earlier this week, Prime Minister Allawi of Iraq authorized military operations to rid the city of Fallujah of Saddam holdouts and foreign terrorists." Here's raw footage of some of the action in Fallujah that makes the case. Sunday the Bush's attended St. John's church in D.C. Monday, the President announced more Cabinet changes. The following individuals are stepping down. * Colin Powell, Secretary of State * Rod Paige, Secretary of Education * Spencer Abraham, Secretary of Energy * Ann Veneman, Secretary of Agriculture ABC News is reporting that Bush is nominating Condi...

President Bush met with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in the Oval Office, and nominated Alberto Gonzales, currently the White House counsel, to succeed John Ashcroft as US Attorney General. President's Veterans' Day Proclamation [Veterans' Day is tomorrow] Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island!