April 12, 2009

Bo, the Portuguese water dog.

"... a gift by that Portuguese water dog-lovin' senator himself, Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts. The girls named it Bo -- and let it be noted that you learned that here first. Malia and Sasha chose the name, because their cousins have a cat named Bo and because first lady Michelle Obama's father was nicknamed Diddley, a source said. (Get it? Bo . . . Diddley?)"

So, fine, nice, he really did get the dog. A promise kept. Good.

But the interesting issue here is: How did Barrack Obama Michelle's dad get the nickname Diddley? The Urban Dictionary says:
1. diddley...

1) Word used in place of general explicit language in order to soften the emotion of the language.
2) A person acting in a silly manor
3) An endearing way to address a friend
4) An omen of good fashion
5) One's genitalia

1) "What the diddley?"
2) "She's quite the diddley."
3) "Diddley, I love you."
4) "May the diddley be with you."
5) *pokes you in the diddley*
I'm thinking An endearing way to address a friend, aren't you?

ADDED: I need to read more carefully!

44 comments:

The Dude said...

In Boston it is pronounced "Diddlah".

Bissage said...

They should have gotten two dogs and named the first one Squiddly.

AllenS said...

They named him after Rush Limbaugh's call screener, Bo Snerdley?

Peter Hoh said...

Is it possible to find a name for a dog that is not listed in Urban Dictionary as slang for something less than flattering?

Fido, Buster, Spot, and Rover all fail the Urban Dictionary test.

Anonymous said...

#3...As in "Diddley, squat."

Jason said...

The word is also sometimes used by traditional Irish dance musicians to refer to the music.

"Up for playing a little diddley tonight?"

There are no sexual connotations to this usage.

former law student said...

Bo Diddley was born Otha Ellas Bates in McComb, Miss., on Dec. 30, 1928. His father died shortly after his birth, and his 16-year-old mother was unable to support him. Diddley was later adopted by her first cousin, Gussie McDaniel. She legally changed his name to Ellas McDaniel and brought him north with her family to the South(East) Side of Chicago.

He circulated various explanations for the name over the years, but by most accounts, neighborhood kids started calling him "bow diddley" -- slang for "bully." The name also recalled the diddley bow, an African single-string guitar that was seminal to blues music.

the quietist said...

Obama should have gotten a pitbull, just to f*** with the pansies in the media.

Freeman Hunt said...

The feeding and walking schedules are also still to be hammered out -- a "family decision," the source said.

"They're approaching this responsibly as a family," the source said.

All of this is new to the first family. Sasha and Malia have never had pets. And neither the first lady nor the president had dogs growing up.


Silly news writing. It's not as though they're really going to sit down between the four of them and make out a schedule of dog chore turns. According to the article, they aren't even the ones training the dog in basic obedience. They live in the White House for goodness sakes! I think we can assume that the staff will be picking up most of the mundane dog duties.

Nothing wrong with that, but silly for reporters to write about this dog as though it's headed off to some regular family of four in the suburbs.

former law student said...

I think we can assume that the staff will be picking up most of the mundane dog duties.

I think we can assume that the girls' parents will make every effort to make their lives as normal as possible, so Sasha and Malia do not become monsters of entitlement.

jimbino said...

The Urban Dictionary doesn't know diddly squat and can't spell "manner."

Michael Haz said...

So it was a trade of some kind. Barack Obama appoints Caroline Kennedy to the position of Ambassador to The Vatican and Ted Kennedy gives the Obama family a dog.

*insert your own joke here*

The Dude said...

Monsters of entitlement - they already are that. Do you think Obama or his scurvy wife got where they are due to merit?

And I use the word scurvy to tie this to the fact that President Surrender Monkey is afraid of pirates. He is a fucking pussy.

Ken Pidcock said...

You know, Portuguese water dogs are a favorite of the reality-based community.

Perhaps this should be treated as a culture wars salvo.

David said...

There is also "Beau," as in boyfriend or girlfriend.

David said...

zedzded said...

Monsters of entitlement - they already are that. Do you think Obama or his scurvy wife got where they are due to merit?

And I use the word scurvy to tie this to the fact that President Surrender Monkey is afraid of pirates. He is a fucking pussy.


To use Althouse's new favorite phrase, Oh Bullshit!

Plus, bad timing. Three of the pirates are dead, the other in U.S. custody.

I'm no big Obama fan, but you can have no idea whether they got ahead on merit. You can't know how Michelle did at Princeton, or at Harvard. God knows what Obama did at Columbia, but pretty clearly he was a success at Harvard and merit had a lot to do with it (along with personality and politial skill, which is a form of merit.)

You are just assuming that the Obamas got ahead because of affirmative action. It's an ugly assumption (and one of the detremental aspects of affirmative action.)

I won't call you a racist, because I have no way of knowing. But your envy is showing.

Jacob said...

Wait, Ted Kennedy got the Obamas a Portuguese water dog?

Daddio said...

I knew a guy named Don who named his son Donald and his daughter Donesha. I think there may be a similar obsession here.

Bo ... B. O. ... Barak Obama.

Coincidence? I think not!

The Dude said...

Nice David, ignore facts and assume that the Obamas got where they are by hard work and intelligence. Once again, you ignore reality. As for ugly assumption, you think Michelle is not ugly. I don't think that word means what you think it means.

And Obama is still a pussy. But someone convinced him that it is best not to appear to be a pussy.

As for Kennedy and the dog - I understand why some are amazed - it should have been a whiskey dog coming from that lush.

Anonymous said...

jimbino,

I was wondering whether anyone would notice that. I read "a person acting in a silly manor" and imagined something like an amateur production of Hamlet in some billionaire's God-awful fantasy castle of a house.

Deb said...

Wait, Ted Kennedy got the Obamas a Portuguese water dog?
I'm glad you mentioned that. One of his dogs is named Splash.

Revenant said...

Portuguese water dogs seem like a good breed. I don't care for their appearance, but from what I've read they seem like an excellent choice for a family with kids.

And shame on those of you who are desperately trying to use this as an excuse to attack Obama. The man does so many things that are *actually* wrong -- one would think that'd be enough to keep you busy. Attacking him over his family dog just makes you look insane.

Penny said...

I was hoping they would get their dog from the pound instead of the Kennedy compound. In any case, little Bo sure is cute.

former law student said...

I was hoping they would get their dog from the pound

Conscientious breeders of PWDs don't let any of their dogs go to the pound -- they will take them back and rehome them for life.

Consider that this PWD is being rehomed; the people who originally bought him decided to give him up, and now he's going to his forever home.

Freeman Hunt said...

I think we can assume that the girls' parents will make every effort to make their lives as normal as possible...

Right. But what happens normally? Mom and Dad end up taking on almost all of the responsibility for the dog's care. I know there are exceptions, but by and large, no matter what was said before the dog was purchased, the parents end up caring for the dog.

But obviously the President of the United States isn't (and shouldn't) spend his time dishing out dog chow, shoveling up dog waste, etc. Thus, the staff and the silliness of the reporting.

Ken Pidcock said...

Ah, Jacob, I wish I'd thought of that.

The Dude said...

The meds that FLS are on must be strong.

How about the Clintons - how did their "forever" home work out for the poor mutt they got? Oh, right, it was just for show, as soon as they left the WH they let the dog out and it was promptly run over. The wrong dog died that day.

LoafingOaf said...

Why is the Washington Post calling Bo an "it"? *sigh*

drew said...

Prof. Althouse - I suspect your comment about remembering that we saw the name in your blog first relates to Tim Russert and the Clintons' dog's name. That was a very funny moment, and I had forgotten about it until your comment reminded me.

I recall the abuse the Russert got from Don Imus about that, and the fact that he (Russert) never quite admitted that he was dead wrong. Rather than admit an error, he insisted that the name was "changed" after he had suggested the dog would be named after his (Russert's) son.

Laura(southernxyl) said...

We had dogs and cats when I was growing up. I don't remember my parents making a big deal about them being a CHORE and a RESPONSIBILITY. They and we kids all saw to it that the animals were fed and watered, litter taken care of, vet gone to. Animals ought to be fun, not one more thing you potentially beat your kid over the head with.

Penny said...

"Conscientious breeders of PWDs don't let any of their dogs go to the pound -- they will take them back and rehome them for life."

Former law student, I agree with you, but I still stand by my original comment, which was that I hoped the Obama's would get their dog from the pound, and I say that being totally sensitive to their daughter's allergy. Their next 'top' breed for the kids was a newer breed, labradoodle, a lab/poodle mix. You won't find any of them at the pound either. On the other hand, you can find a ton of poodles in need of adoption, and it was the poodle side of that lab/poodle mix that has labradoodle's getting a reputation as "allergy friendlier".

Frankly, I am suggesting that the reason this decision has been dragged out as long as it has, is because the Obama's wanted to avoid discussions, exactly like this one. And really, how WONDERFUL! They now have a Kennedy compound dog. It makes for MUCH better press than a pound poodle.

Besides, can you imagine the uproar when the O's returned their pound poodle?

If their daughter is as allergic as they say? They have no business bringing ANY dog into their home....but it sure makes for some great "fluff-n-stuff".

"Fluff-n-stuff"! Where we can ALL contribute to the political dialogue.

Anonymous said...

zedzed, how nice of you to comment so graciously about our first lady, an accomplished lawyer as is her husband, you know, the guy who actually got good grades instead of being proud to brag about getting "C"s while making fun of the PhDs working for him.

Remember the drunk who was our last president or his father, the traitor who sold us out to the Saudis and then the Iranians during Iran-Contra and then had the good sense to nominate a REAL TOKEN ENTITLEMENT to the Supreme Court?

Can you say finger-licking good as you look at pictures of Clarence "I'm dumma than a turnip" Thomas and his bitch carrying a bucket of the Colonel's original recipe into their hotel?

Kristen said...

I have yet to see a silly manor.

former law student said...

But what happens normally? Mom and Dad end up taking on almost all of the responsibility for the dog's care

I can only relate to my own experience. We got a dog when I was six, and I had to feed it, make sure it had fresh water, and let it out when it wanted to go out. My mom did take it to the groomer, and to the vet when necessary, because I was too young to drive, and because I did not have my own checkbook. She also bought the dog food during her weekly trip to the grocery store. If she ran out, I would have to buy it from the convenience store a half-mile away.

We got two ponies when I was eight, and it was my responsibility to feed them, make sure they had water, shovel their manure, and clean out their stalls once a week. My dad bought the hay, straw, and oats, because he had the pickup truck.

Anonymous said...

Althouse, I thought you had already gotten your sexual partner. Are you looking for yet more? Not that it's a bad thing.

Oh wait, it's because you've found your sexual partner that you feel obliged to sex-up your posts (and adding an update like that doesn't really count -- you knew what you were doing ;)).

Unknown said...

Does the presidential dog get to poop at will, or does someone still have to do the scoop up?

I believe that's the only point the media has not covered after exhausting Michelle's arms, her makeup, and the halo around Barack's head.

Freeman Hunt said...

FLS, I was writing about what happens normally, not what happened to you.

Anonymous said...

"I have yet to see a silly manor."

Michael Jackson's Neverland?

bearbee said...

Looks like 2 BO's will be in the White House but the latest one will have appeal.

Unknown said...

That was really quite a stretch there Ann. I bet your proud.

Joe said...

What an ugly breed of dog.

The Dude said...

Ooo - Dylan tried to write mean things, but went wrong starting with the name.

Then you brought up Bush - wow - that's brilliant. Funny how you neglected Obama's self admitted crack and marijuana usage and the fact that he stiil smokes tobacco, at a bare minimum.

Then you trashed Clarence Thomas - once again - where do you get your talking points? Those are remarkable in their originality.

You are a good token-lover. You will be rewarded in paradise.

rivergal14 said...

It's bad cause people are now wanting to buy them and cross breed them and have them a puppy mills and that's what the portie breeders have been trying to stay away from but now it's gonna be hard too I show and breed and we already have gotten some calls. All of u that think he should have gotten one from a shelter or pound look around have u seen any at them....NO but now who knows in a few years the portuguese water dogs breed will be ruined and never the same

rivergal14 said...

I feel bad for the portuguese water dog breed they will be ruined by people wanting them at puppy mills and etc. This is a disaster for all pwd lovers! In a few years the breed will be ruined and if u think he should have gotten one at the pound look around do u see any at pounds??? NO because the breeders have made sure they don't sell them to people like that but now who knows!