The Race for a High Office

It's a competitive race for Chief Dog of Staff:

Yet as President-elect Barack Obama makes his transition to the White House and fills top positions such as chief of staff, he's been quiet about his inclination in another critical matter: Who will become chief dog of staff, the puppy he promised his daughters in his acceptance speech.

There's been talk that 10-year-old Malia Obama has put in a bid for a goldendoodle, a cute, fluffy crossbreed between a golden retriever and poodle. At his news conference yesterday, Obama dropped a couple of other hints. An Obama dog has to be hypoallergenic, he said, since Malia has allergies. Ever the populist, he said the family was leaning toward a shelter dog, and "a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me."

While the goldendoodle has a wonderful outward appearance and exceptional temperament, it has only been in the game for a brief period, raising questions about the experience and qualifications of this breed for such a high office.