source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7999241.stm

Barack Obama has officially unveiled Bo the presidential pooch, praising its "star quality" to reporters.

The "First Puppy" - a six-month-old black-and-white Portuguese water dog - frolicked with Mr Obama and his family on the White House South Lawn.

Mr Obama promised his daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, seven, a dog to reward them for coping with his campaign.

The dog does not shed hair and is said to be less aggravating for Malia who suffers from allergies.

While Mr Obama's wife held Bo on a leash for reporters to admire, her husband proudly announced: "He's got star quality."

Bo - who sports a white chest, white paws and a white goatee - was named by the Obama daughters.

He was a gift from a close friend of the family, Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts.

Mr Kennedy, who owns three water dogs himself, said in January that he was "proud to endorse the Portuguese water dog as the next First Dog of the United States".

He said the breed would be a "perfect fit for the Obama Family" as the dogs have a "can-do and hopeful spirit" and were smart, resilient, determined, optimistic and tireless.

The choice of the US presidential pooch had been a pet topic for the nation's press ever since Mr Obama promised his daughters a puppy during the campaign.

i posted this, as i think its a nice story, what do you guys think of the presidential pooch?

The fact that people actually care about this and that the media paid this much attention to this, disturbs me.

i posted this as i think its nice to read something more cheerful and light than normal political stories.

The media needs stories, too =/

its a really nice looking dog for a mutt from the shelter

 It's nothing against you, it's just I find it sad that the Obama's getting a dog is news worthy, they had it as breaking news on CNN for godsakes,lol

oh thats ok, to be fair, it wasnt a main story on the BBC

yes it was.  i watched it.

Interesting development.

Be sure to keep us abreast when the Obamas eat cereal.

I read a leaked E-Mail from Obama the other day. Basically it said that he was trying so hard to do good for the world with going to Europe and trying to sort out so many problems with the economy and international affairs and when he gets home he is fielded such trivial questions which annoys him... I guess this is what he was talking about lol.

Anyway, it's nice that he has a dog now, it looks very cute and it does have the 'Star quality'. Also, Edward Kennedy always seems like a decent chap, I guess it is gestures like this.