A Little Salt for that Wound, Son?

Here's some compassionate conservativism in action:

How do you say "Merry Christmas" in Scottish terrier? Just ask presidential pups Barney and Miss Beazley...

The video, "A Very Beazley Christmas," tells the story of a very jealous Barney, who hides presents meant for his more popular sister, Miss Beazley.

The president's chief of staff, Andrew Card, and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, as well as television hosts Nancy O'Dell and George Stephanopoulos, raise Barney's ire by heaping praise on the charming, photogenic and younger Miss Beazley.

After scolding Barney for playing hide and seek with Miss Beazley's gifts, President Bush chides a contrite Miss Beazley, saying, "I understand you've been a media hound."

He patches up the dogs' differences by telling them, "You have to remember the true meaning of the holiday season."

The video is available on the White House Web site.

Hey, Team Bush, why not just go ahead and send the video to these web sites--Snowball's Chance and/or KatrinaFoundPets. I'm sure lots of Gulf Coast residents can't wait to see footage of dogs living more comfortably than themselves--and it'll remind them of their own four legged companions.

Maybe you can send a special copy to a certain young boy who's dog was probably the only thing he had to call his own...you don't recall what happened? Here's a reminder:

When authorities began to evacuate people to the Superdome with buses, they refused to allow pets to board. According to [Mary] Foster's AP story:

"At the front of the line, the weary refugees waded through ankle-deep water, grabbed a bottle of water from state troopers and happily hopped on buses that would deliver them from the horrendous conditions of the Superdome.

"At the back end of the line, people jammed against police barricades in the rain. Refugees passed out and had to be lifted hand-over-hand overhead to medics. Pets were not allowed on the bus, and when a police officer confiscated a little boy's dog, the child cried until he vomited. 'Snowball, Snowball', he cried. The policeman told a reporter he didn't know what would happen to the dog."

Yeah, I'm sure that young child would be thrilled to see a video about pResident Bush's dogs...and I've got to hand it to them: apparently Operation Ignore the Gulf Coast is going so well they can't be bothered to recall one of the saddest elements of the neglect: the forced separation of people and their pets.

Now THAT'S what I call compassionate conservativism.