President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have faced intense scrutiny from Politico surrounding the handling of their dogs, as incidents of biting involving multiple White House staffers emerge. The German Shepherds, Commander and Major Biden, have exhibited concerning behavior, prompting Politico senior editor Michael Schaffer to pen a scathing article on the matter.
Commander’s Aggressive Incidents: Internal communications from the Secret Service have revealed that Commander, the two-year-old German Shepherd, has bitten seven individuals over a four-month period. This includes a Secret Service officer who required hospital treatment following a November 2022 incident. These incidents have raised doubts about the responsibility of the Bidens in managing their dogs’ behavior.
Politico’s Critique: Michael Schaffer’s article examines the Bidens’ response to the dog-biting incidents. Agreeing with a suggestion from a White House staffer, Schaffer highlights that Commander may have faced more severe consequences if he did not belong to the first family. He emphasizes the moral and legal responsibility pet owners hold for their pets’ actions and suggests that similar incidents involving regular individuals would have brought intervention from animal control.
Implications for the First Family: Schaffer points out the potential differences in media coverage if such incidents happened during another administration. Contrasting the Bidens’ middle-class image with the perceived elitism of other political families, he suggests that the narrative surrounding the situation could have been far more severe if it were any other president’s family involved.
Criticizing “Biden Foes”: Schaffer also condemns conservative critics who propagate conspiracy theories about a cover-up tied to the dog-biting incidents within the White House. He argues that these allegations miss the central issue, which is the first family’s behavior—describing it as inconsiderate, entitled, and irresponsible.
Conclusion: The Bidens’ approach to managing their dogs’ aggressive behavior has faced intense scrutiny, leading Politico to criticize their response and question their relatable middle-class image. These incidents have triggered a broader debate on how the first family handles their pets and responsibilities when in the public eye.