Emily Walker
Joe Biden, facing roadblocks to his domestic agenda and a renewed confrontation with COVID-19, will begin the new year surrounded by a fresh friend in Washington: a nearly four month old German Shepherd named Commander.
The puppy was shown in a video published online on Monday, about six months after their previous dog, German Shepherd Champ, died,
After Biden’s inauguration in January, the Bidens’ other dog, a young German Shepherd named Major, began attending the White House with them.
However, because of reported biting incidents with personnel at the grounds, his time there was limited.
Jill Biden’s spokesperson Michael LaRosa stated in a statement that Major is now residing offsite with family friends,
Due to the beautiful weather, the Vice President and Biden took Commander for a walk on The Mall this morning. A good time was had by all.
Kendra Barkoff Lamy, spokeswoman for Joseph R. Biden Jr.
After a four-year absence, President Trump’s canine companions marked the reemergence of pets at the White House following a four-year gap under former President Donald Trump, who was the first president since Andrew Johnson in the 1860s not to own a dog or cat.
The motto “if you need a friend in Washington, get a dog” is a typical American adage that reflects the hardscrabble nature of politics in Washington, DC.
Biden introduced Commander as an online video on Monday, a day after key conservative Democratic Joe Manchin rejected his social and climate policy plan.
On Monday, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also blocked a vote on the criminal justice reform bill that Biden supports.
Biden’s brother and sister-in-law gave him the purebred puppy for his recent 79th birthday in November, according to LaRosa.
Meanwhile, the Bidens had long been expected to bring a cat on board. In January, a female cat will join them, according to LaRosa.
On Wednesday, Biden’s office said Commander was initially named Chaplin when they were in a kennel in Michigan with another dog, Tanner.
However, they decided to rename him when he came to Washington because Obama has his own “Tanner” cat.
“It seems only right that the pup would have a name associated with Navy,” LaRosa said, “since we were in the Navy town and it is a fantastic name.”
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