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{{short description|21st century US political controversy}}
{{Infobox animal
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2013}}
| name = Seamus
{{Infobox news event
| image = Seamus Romney.jpg
|title = Mitt Romney dog incident
| species = ]
|image = Seamus Romney.jpg
| breed = ]
|caption = The Romneys' Irish Setter, Seamus
| gender = ]
|type =
| nationality = ]
|participants =
| occupation = ]
* ]
| known = 1983 incident (see text)
* his wife, ]
| owner = ] and ]; later, Jane Romney
* their children
* Seamus, the Romneys' pet dog</p>
|place = Romneys' station wagon en route from ], ] to ], ]
|date = June 1983
|first reporter = Reported by Neil Swidey in '']'' in June 2007<ref name="original">{{cite web|url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/06/27/raising_sons_rising_expectations/?page=full|title=Journeys of a shared life|newspaper=] |first1=Neil|last1=Swidey|first2=Stephanie|last2=Ebbert|date=June 27, 2007|access-date=September 20, 2012}}</ref>
}} }}
'''Seamus''' was a pet ] owned by ] and his family. Seamus, an ], was a subject of media attention for Mitt Romney in both the ] and the ] because of a 1983 family vacation where Romney transported Seamus on the roof of an ] for twelve hours.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2007/06/romney-strapped/|title=Romney strapped dog to car roof|publisher = ABC News|author = Jennifer Parker|date = June 28, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/296683/28/Romney-dog-on-the-roof-story-appears-in-Gingrich-ad|title=Mitt Romney 'dog-on-the-roof' story appears in Newt Gingrich ad|publisher = ] (])|author = ]|date = January 13, 2012}}</ref>
== Incident ==
In June 1983, Romney and his family were preparing for their annual ] from their ], ] home to a family cottage in ], ]. Seamus was enclosed in a carrier that Romney had equipped with a windshield and strapped on the roof of the family's ] ]. Sometime during the 650-mile trip from Massachusetts to Ontario, the dog became afflicted with ], causing excrement to flow down the windows of the car. Romney stopped at a ] to wash Seamus, the carrier and the car, then put Seamus back in his carrier, and continued the twelve-hour trip to the family's vacation home.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/06/27/raising_sons_rising_expectations/?page=full|title=Journeys of a shared life|publisher=]|author=Neil Swidey & Stephanie Ebbert|date=June 27, 2007}}</ref><ref name="Snopes">{{cite web|url= http://www.snopes.com/politics/romney/dog.asp |title=Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney transported a dog atop his car |publisher = Snopes|author= Barbara & David Mikkelson|date = January 21, 2008}}</ref>


During a 1983 family vacation, American businessman and future politician ] drove 12 hours with his dog on top of the car in a windshield-equipped carrier.<ref name="original"/><ref name="Snopes"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2007/06/romney-strapped/|title=Romney strapped dog to car roof|publisher=ABC News|first1=Jennifer|last1=Parker|date=June 28, 2007|access-date=September 20, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/296683/28/Romney-dog-on-the-roof-story-appears-in-Gingrich-ad|title=Mitt Romney 'dog-on-the-roof' story appears in Newt Gingrich ad|publisher=] (])|first1=Jeanne|last1=Moos|author-link=Jeanne Moos|date=January 13, 2012|access-date=September 20, 2012|archive-date=January 3, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103203337/http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/296683/28/Romney-dog-on-the-roof-story-appears-in-Gingrich-ad|url-status=dead}}</ref> This incident became the subject of negative media attention and political attacks on Romney in both the ] and the ].
== Political response ==
The Massachusetts ] stated that Romney's actions may have been illegal under Massachusetts law, though the ] has passed. ], the president of the ] has labeled the incident as ] and ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1638065,00.html|title=Romney's cruel canine vacation|publisher = Time Magazine|author = ]|date = June 27, 2007}}</ref> According to Russell Cummings, a professor of aerospace engineering at ], Seamus could have had around three pounds (ten pounds per square foot) of ] pressing against his head during the trip. Cummings' wife, a ], said that she was worried that the air flow could cause ] and ] of the eyes.<ref name="soden">{{cite web|url = http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Politics/story?id=3329017&page=1|title = Dog on roof? What was it like for Romney's pooch?|publisher=ABC News|author=Blair Soden|date = June 29, 2007}}</ref>


==Road trip in 1983==
During a 2012 interview with ] of ], Romney stated that Seamus enjoyed being in the dog carrier, an "air-tight kennel," and that he was not aware of any violations of Massachusetts law.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zimbio.com/Mitt+Romney/articles/j6vvA1148mS/Dog+Politics+Mitt+Romney+Seamus+now+infamous|title=Dog politics: Mitt Romney, Seamus & the now infamous vacation|publisher=]|author=Sue Kottwitz|date = January 8, 2012}}</ref> ], Mitt Romney's wife, said that the ] had exaggerated the severity of the incident, and compared traveling in the roof-top dog carrier to riding a ] or riding in the bed of a ].<ref>{{cite web|url = http://mittromneyroadtothewhitehouse.blogspot.com/2007/06/from-ann-romney.html|title=From Ann Romney|publisher = Mitt Romney - Road to the ]|author=Ann Romney|date = June 30, 2007}}</ref> According to ], the incident has been "pointed to as an example of Romney's emotion-free crisis management style. Others viewed it differently, regarding the mode of canine transport the dog was subjected to as unnecessarily callous and cruel."<ref name="Snopes"/>
In June 1983, the Romney family left their ] home on their way to Romney's parents' cottage in ], ] for an annual vacation along the shore of ]. Their dog, Seamus, rode in a carrier on the roof of the family's ] ] for the 12-hour trip. Romney had built a windshield for the carrier to make the ride more comfortable for the dog.<ref name="original"/> During the {{convert|650|mi|km|adj=on}} trip, Seamus got ]. The Romneys were first alerted to the ] bowel issues when son ] noticed brown liquid pouring down the back window, followed immediately by him and his younger brothers yelling in disgust. Romney stopped at a ] to wash the dog, the carrier, and the car. With Seamus back in the carrier, the family continued on their way.<ref name="original"/><ref name="Snopes">{{cite web|url=http://www.snopes.com/politics/romney/dog.asp|title=Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney transported a dog atop his car|website=]|first1=Barbara|last1=Mikkelson|first2=David|last2=Mikkelson|date=January 21, 2008|access-date=September 20, 2012}}</ref>
During the ], candidate ] aired an anti-Romney ] that featured the story.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-gingrich-goes-to-the-dog-20120112,0,4318518.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fne|title = New anti-Romney ad by Gingrich goes to the dog|publisher = ]|author = James Oliphant|date = January 12, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gYTVINMf3aSuPPVgoxokULpMDEIg?docId=b73eedb26c5b4c31870cc6919d2c2e7c|title = Attacks on Romney getting personal|publisher = ]|author = Kasie Hunt|date = January 14, 2012}}</ref> During an appearance on the ] show ], Republican candidate ] stated, "As far as Seamus the dog ... the issues of character are important in this election. We need to look at all those issues and make a determination as to whether that’s the kind of person you want to be president of the United States.”<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/03/santorum-team-doggedly-resurrects-romneys-seamus-tale/ |title=Santorum team doggedly resurrects Romney’s Seamus tale |publisher=ABC News |author=Amy Bingham |date=March 19, 2012}}</ref> In order to contrast ] with Mitt Romney, ], Obama's chief political consultant, ] a picture of Obama and his dog, ], in the presidential limousine, with the caption "How loving owners transport their dogs".<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://thehill.com/blogs/twitter-room/other-news/207453-axelrod-tweaks-romney-over-strapping-dog-to-car-roof|title = Axelrod tweaks Romney over strapping dog to car roof|publisher = ]|author = Justin Sink| date = January 30, 2012|}}</ref>


==Seamus the dog==
], the senior political analyst for '']'' magazine and ], opined that "for a lot of voters" the incident was "a serious issue".<ref>{{cite web|url = http://thepage.time.com/2012/01/15/newt-seamus-story-paints-a-picture-of-mitt/|title = Newt: Seamus story paints a 'picture' of Mitt |publisher = Time Magazine|author=Mark Halperin|date = January 15, 2012}}</ref>
Seamus ({{IPAc-en|'|ʃ|eɪ|m|ə|s}} {{respell|SHAY|məs}}), an ], was an active, outgoing dog, and was the Romney family's first pet dog.<ref name="Ann">{{cite web|url=http://mittromneyroadtothewhitehouse.blogspot.com/2007/06/from-ann-romney.html|title=From Ann Romney|publisher=Mitt Romney – Road to the ]|first1=Ann|last1=Romney|author-link=Ann Romney|date=June 30, 2007|access-date=September 20, 2012}}</ref> It is generally reported that,{{By whom|date=January 2022}} a few years after his ride to Canada, Seamus was given to Mitt Romney's sister, Jane Romney Robinson of ], who said, "He kept ending up at the pound. They were worried about him getting hit crossing the street. We had more space, so he could roam more freely."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/07/introducing_sea.html|title= Introducing Seamus Romney, 'Mr. Personality'|newspaper=The Boston Globe|first1=Neil|last1=Swidey|date=July 10, 2007|access-date=September 20, 2012}}</ref> The dog's date of death is unknown, but Robinson stated that Seamus lived to a "ripe old age" on her farm in California.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/world/tale-of-pooch-on-car-roof-dogs-romney-138629569.html?device=mobile|title=Tale of pooch on car roof dogs Romney|newspaper=]|first1=Julie|last1=Jacobson|date=February 3, 2012|access-date=September 20, 2012}}</ref>
Scott Crider, founder of the Dogs Against Romney website, said that the incident had "struck a chord" because people "look at their own pet and say, ‘This is a member of my family. How can you even think about putting it on top of a car?’" <ref>{{cite web| url=http://bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view/20220117canine_support_goes_to_the_dogs|title = Canine support goes to the dogs|publisher = ]|author = Jerry Kronenberg|date = January 17, 2012}}</ref> Conversely, ] ] of the ] defended Mitt Romney's treatment of Seamus, stating, "Doesn’t the fact that Romney chose to bring the dog on the family vacation, rather than dump him in a kennel back home, suggest that he’s a dog lover, not a hater?"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/defending-mitt-romneys-road-trip-with-a-dog-on-the-roof/2012/03/15/gIQAMUhKES_story.html|title=Doggone it, stop hounding Romney|publisher=Washington Post|author=Ruth Marcus|date=March 15, 2012}}</ref>


==Family response==
In order to draw attention to the Seamus incident, there was a small protest outside the 2012 ] in ].<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.politicker.com/2012/02/14/canine-loving-protesters-dog-mitt-romney-outside-westminster-kennel-club-show/|title= Canine-loving protesters dog Mitt Romney outside Westminster Kennel Club show|publisher = ]|author = ]|date = February 14, 2012}}</ref> A ] survey found that 74% of Democrats, 66% of Independents, and 63% of Republicans consider it inhumane to put a family dog in a kennel on the roof of a car. The poll also found that 35% of voters would be less likely to vote for Romney because of the Seamus incident, whereas 55% of voters said that it would not affect how they vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2012/03/polling-on-romneys-dog-problem.html |title=Polling on Romney's 'dog problem' |publisher=Public Policy Polling |author=Tom Jensen |date=March 20, 2012}}</ref>
When interviewed by ] of ], Romney stated that Seamus enjoyed being in the dog carrier, an "air-tight kennel", and that he was not aware of any violations of Massachusetts law;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zimbio.com/Mitt+Romney/articles/j6vvA1148mS/Dog+Politics+Mitt+Romney+Seamus+now+infamous| title=Dog politics: Mitt Romney, Seamus & the now infamous vacation|newspaper=Zimbio|first1=Sue|last1=Kottwitz|date=January 8, 2012|access-date=September 20, 2012}}</ref> the state's animal cruelty laws prohibit anyone from carrying an animal "in or upon a vehicle, or otherwise, in an unnecessarily cruel or inhumane manner."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1638065,00.html|title=Dogs Against Romney.|magazine=Time|date=June 27, 2007}}</ref> In earlier accounts, Romney described a makeshift "windshield".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dog on Roof? What Was It Like for Romney's Pooch? |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Politics/story?id=3329017&page=1 |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Rucker |first=Philip |date=2012-03-14 |title=Mitt Romney's dog-on-the-car-roof story still proves to be his critics' best friend |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romneys-dog-on-the-car-roof-story-still-proves-to-be-his-critics-best-friend/2012/03/14/gIQAp2LxCS_story.html |access-date=2022-11-11 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>


], Mitt Romney's wife, has stated that the ] exaggerated the severity of the incident, and compared traveling in the roof-top dog carrier to riding a ] or riding in the bed of a ].<ref name="Ann" />
During an April 2012 interview with ] of ], Mitt Romney said that the "Seamus attacks were the most wounding of the campaign so far." During the same interview, Ann Romney stated that Seamus got diarrhea from eating turkey off the table before the trip, and that the dog loved the crate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/04/dog-seamus-loved-trips-atop-family-car-says-ann-romney/|title=Dog Seamus ‘loved’ trips atop family car, Says Ann Romney|publisher=ABC News|author=Russell Goldman & Emily Friedman|date=April 16, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2012/apr/17/news/la-pn-mitt-romneys-treatment-of-dog-seamus-continues-to-hound-campaign-20120417|title=Mitt, Ann Romney defend putting dog on car roof; fallout continues|publisher=Los Angeles Times|author=Morgan Little|date=April 17, 2012}}</ref> Scott Crider of Dogs Against Romney criticized Mitt Romney's comments, stating, "While last night was the first time Mitt Romney indicated he wouldn't do such a thing again, he qualified it by saying he wouldn't do such a thing again because of all the attention it got. In other words, he doesn't see anything wrong with it still, but he wouldn't do it anymore because of the political blowback it cost."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/dogs-against-romney-mitt-ann-just-endorsed-putting-dogs-on-roof-2012-4|title=Dogs Against Romney: Mitt and Ann endorsed putting dogs on roof|publisher=]|author=Brett LoGiurato|date=April 17, 2012}}</ref>


During an April 2012 interview with ], ] asked the Romneys about Seamus and the road trip, and if he would ever do it again. Romney offered, "He loves it, it's his favorite." During the same interview, Ann Romney attributed Seamus' troubles to eating turkey off the table.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/04/dog-seamus-loved-trips-atop-family-car-says-ann-romney/|title=Dog Seamus 'loved' trips atop family car, Says Ann Romney|publisher=]|first1=Russell|last1=Goldman|first2=Emily|last2=Friedman|date=April 16, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-xpm-2012-apr-17-la-pn-mitt-romneys-treatment-of-dog-seamus-continues-to-hound-campaign-20120417-story.html|title=Mitt, Ann Romney defend putting dog on car roof; fallout continues|newspaper=]|first1=Morgan|last1=Little|date=April 17, 2012|access-date=September 20, 2012}}</ref> Romney stated that he loved his dog.<ref>*{{cite web|url=http://whoiapolitics.blogspot.com/2007/06/romney-loves-his-dog.html|title=Romney Loves His Dog|publisher=]|first1=Dave|last1=Price|date=June 30, 2007|type=video|access-date=September 20, 2012}}</ref>
Blogger ] of '']'' responded to the Seamus story by pointing out a passage in ]'s autobiography '']'' in which Obama recounted eating dog meat as a child in Indonesia. This resulted in tens of thousands of jokes and quips on the "Obama eats dog" story, responses from Obama and Romney campaign spokespeople,<ref>{{cite news |title=David Axelrod and Eric Fehrnstrom, Twitter frenemies |author=Rachel Weiner |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/david-axelrod-and-eric-fehrnstrom-twitter-frenemies/2012/04/18/gIQAJcRyQT_blog.html |newspaper=] |date=18 April 2012 |accessdate=22 April 2012}}</ref> a statement from White House spokesman ], and a response from 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mommy Wars give way to Doggy Wars in Twitterverse |author=Noveck, Jocelyn |url=http://news.yahoo.com/mommy-wars-way-doggy-wars-twitterverse-075306615.html |newspaper=] |date=20 April 2012 |accessdate=21 April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=A really ruff race - Behind the dueling dog tales |author=] |url=http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/really_ruff_race_NVzVnof94hCmF0ptJpXorI#.T5E89-ISOfE.facebook |newspaper=] |date=19 April 2012 |accessdate=21 April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=From “Nugent Goes Nuts” to “Bam Bites Dog”: The Phoney War of 2012 |author=John Cassidy |url=http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/johncassidy/2012/04/obama-romney-phoney-war.html |newspaper=] |date=19 April 2012 |accessdate=21 April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Obama, Romney dog fight: Carney and McCain enter the fray |author=Natalie Jennings |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/obama-romney-dog-fight-carney-and-mccain-enter-the-fray/2012/04/19/gIQAebkyTT_blog.html |newspaper=] |date=19 April 2012 |accessdate=22 April 2012}}</ref>'']'' named the conservative "Obama Eats Dogs" campaign their "Meme of the Week".<ref>{{cite news |title=Meme of the Week: Obama Eats Dog |author= |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2012/04/21/meme-of-the-week-obama-eats-dog-photos.html |newspaper=] |date= |accessdate=22 April 2012}}</ref> The founder of "Dogs Against Romney" defended Obama's eating of dog meat, saying that the Romney campaign "seems desperate".<ref>{{cite news |title=Dogs Against Romney Defends Obama Over Dog Consumption Revelations |author=James Crugnale |url=http://www.mediaite.com/online/dogs-against-romney-defends-obama-over-dog-consumption-revelations/ |newspaper=] |date=18 April 2012 |accessdate=22 April 2012}}</ref>


== Super PACs == ==Other responses==
In 2007, ], president of the ] (PETA), criticized Romney for the incident.<ref name=Time>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1638065,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070628162116/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1638065,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 28, 2007|title=Romney's cruel canine vacation|work=]|first1=Ana Marie|last1=Cox|author-link=Ana Marie Cox|date=June 27, 2007}}</ref> Responding to PETA, Romney said, "my dog likes fresh air".<ref>{{cite web|first1=David|last1=Folkenflik|url=https://www.npr.org/2011/12/20/144001605/why-mitt-romneys-dog-is-getting-a-lot-of-press|title=Why Mitt Romney's Dog Is Getting A Lot Of Press|publisher=]|date=December 20, 2011|access-date=September 21, 2012}}</ref>
In 2012, two ], 'Mitt is Mean - The Animal Lovers Against Romney Committee' and 'DogPAC' were formed with the intent of ] the Seamus incident. The Mitt is Mean super PAC has the goal of raising at least $1,000,000, in order to inform voters of Mitt Romney's inhumane treatment of Seamus in ten ] during the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2012/mar/29/news/la-pn-animal-lovers-against-romney-super-pac-takes-aim-20120328 |title=Animal lovers' anti-Romney 'super PAC' aims to publicize dog tale |publisher=Los Angeles Times |author=Morgan Little |date=March 29, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mittismean.org |title=Will Mitt Romney treat you like a dog if he’s President? |publisher=Mitt is Mean Super PAC |author=Brad Bannon |date=March 28, 2012 }}</ref> DogPAC seeks to get more than one million people to put bumper stickers on their cars which feature a cartoon logo of Seamus’s ride.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-13/campaign-going-to-dogs-as-pacs-fix-on-romney-pet-s-ride.html|title=Campaign going to dogs as PACs fix on Romney pet’s ride|publisher=]|author=Julianna Goldman|date=April 12, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://gooddogbadromney.com/blog/2012/4/13/bloomberg-news-runs-with-the-dogpac.html|title=Bloomberg News Runs with the DogPAC|publisher=DogPAC Super PAC|author=Ron Carver|date=April 11, 2012}}</ref>


Newkirk has elaborated (speaking for herself rather than for PETA) that the Seamus incident irritates her because "there are far more serious issues to talk about" regarding the mistreatment of animals.<ref name="cspap" />
== Romney neologism ==
In 2012, in response to Mitt Romney’s road trip, ] Jack Shepler created the ] 'romney' which means 'to defecate in terror'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2012-02-17/tech/tech_web_romney-santorum-google-problem_1_santorum-google-problem-search-algorithm-site?_s=PM:TECH|title= Is Romney developing a Santorum 'Google problem'?|publisher=]|author= Doug Gross|date=February 17, 2012}}</ref> The neologism was inspired by the neologism ']', which ] activist ] had created in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/300644/20120217/rick-santorum-google-problem-spreading-romney-gingrich.htm |title= Rick's 'Google Problem' spreads to Romney, Gingrich|publisher= ]|author=Melanie Jones|date=February 17, 2012}}</ref> Shepler stated that he set up a website, ''spreadingromney.com'', which uses the new word, in order to draw attention to "Romney's mistreatment of a family pet" and "how Romney reacts to situations".<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/national-affairs/mitt-gets-his-own-google-problem-spreadingromney-com-20120214|title= Mitt gets his own 'Google problem': SpreadingRomney.com |publisher= ]|author=]|date=February 14, 2012}}</ref> According to ] and ], the romney neologism's prominent web listing is due to its popularity, and not because of ] or ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/google_problem_spreading_from_santorum_rNQrrMPHP5QsXjInmWEO8L|title= Google problem spreading from Santorum to Romney -- Newt next?|publisher = ]|date= February 16, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://searchengineland.com/bing-google-spreading-romney-ranking-tops-for-romney-is-normal-111575|title= Bing & Google: “Spreading Romney” ranking tops for “Romney” is normal|publisher= Search Engine Land|author= ]|date=February 14, 2012}}</ref>


In 2012, after a Dogs Against Romney protest outside the ],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Romney protest held outside Westminster dog show |url=https://apnews.com/article/e6765ba4131145f89dc1b64c15533b9c |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=AP NEWS |date=February 14, 2012 |language=en}}</ref> MacArthur Animal Hospital's Dr. Rawstrom was contacted by Slate about the plausibility of the Romneys' claim Seamus just had to poop in his crate. "They (dogs) prefer clean environments; that’s why one principle of crate training is to give them a space large enough to move around in but small enough that they don’t want to defecate inside.” She added Seamus' loose stool was likely indicative of "high levels of stress."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waldman |first=Katy |date=2012-02-16 |title=Did the Romney Family Dog Flee to Canada in Fear? |url=https://slate.com/culture/2012/02/romney-s-dog-seamus-did-he-run-away-to-canada.html |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=] |language=en}}</ref>
== Supplementary information ==
Seamus had the ] 'Mr. Personality' because he was a social dog. A few years after his ride to ], Seamus was given to Mitt Romney's sister, Jane Romney of ], who said, "He kept ending up at the pound. They were worried about him getting hit crossing the street. We had more space, so he could roam more freely."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/07/introducing_sea.html|title= Introducing Seamus Romney, 'Mr. Personality'|publisher = Boston Globe|author = Scott Helman|date = July 10, 2007}}</ref> The dog has since passed away.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.care2.com/causes/the-curious-incident-of-mitts-dog-on-the-roof-of-his-car.html|title=The curious incident of Mitt’s dog on the roof of his car|publisher = ]|author = Kristina Chew|date = January 12, 2012}}</ref> As of March 2012, ] columnist ] had mentioned the car trip more than 50 times.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/mitt-romneys-dog-on-the-car-roof-story-still-proves-to-be-his-critics-best-friend/2012/03/14/gIQAp2LxCS_story.html|title=Mitt Romney’s dog-on-the-car-roof story still proves to be his critics’ best friend |publisher=Washington Post|author=Philip Rucker|date=March 14, 2012}}</ref>


During the ], candidate ] aired an anti-Romney ] that featured the story.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/01/seamus-returns-gingrich-ad-revives-romneys-dog-debacle/|date=January 11, 2012|title=Seamus Returns – Gingrich Ad Revives Romney's Dog Debacle|format=video/text|publisher=ABC News|access-date=September 21, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-gingrich-goes-to-the-dog-20120112,0,4318518.story?track=rss|title=New anti-Romney ad by Gingrich goes to the dog|newspaper=]|author-link=James Oliphant|first1=James|last1=Oliphant|date=January 12, 2012|access-date=September 21, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gYTVINMf3aSuPPVgoxokULpMDEIg?docId=b73eedb26c5b4c31870cc6919d2c2e7c|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120116221904/http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gYTVINMf3aSuPPVgoxokULpMDEIg?docId=b73eedb26c5b4c31870cc6919d2c2e7c|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 16, 2012|title=Attacks on Romney getting personal|publisher=]|first1=Kasie|last1=Hunt|date=January 14, 2012}}</ref> While appearing on the ] show ], Republican candidate ] stated, "As far as Seamus the dog ... the issues of character are important in this election. We need to look at all those issues and make a determination as to whether that's the kind of person you want to be president of the United States."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/03/santorum-team-doggedly-resurrects-romneys-seamus-tale/|title=Santorum team doggedly resurrects Romney's Seamus tale|publisher=ABC News|first1=Amy|last1=Bingham|date=March 19, 2012|access-date=September 21, 2012}}</ref> Santorum's view was at odds with that of ], senior editor of '']'': "Yet looking back on the Seamus Romney story today, what is most striking is its forgettability, how indistinguishable it seems in retrospect from the idiots' parade of meaningless stories that came to define the campaign."<ref>{{cite book|first1=Bill|last1=Wasik|author-link=Bill Wasik|title=And Then There's This: How Stories Live and Die in Viral Culture|page=145|publisher=]|year=2009}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
==External links==


Journalists ] and ] assert that Romney did nothing unusual: "Overlooked in the clucking over the incident is the fact that the dog was in a crate, probably little different from the dog kennels used to transport animals in the cold-storage compartments of airplanes. Romney had erected a barrier to shield the family pet from the wind. Romney, the family man, heading to the lake, didn't seem heartless at the time. But politics is a heartless business."<ref>{{cite book|first1=Mike|last1=Allen|first2=Evan|last2=Thomas|title=Inside the Circus|publisher=]|year=2012}}</ref>
*{{cite web|url = http://www.dogsagainstromney.com/|title = The official site of Dogs Against Romney founded 2007|publisher = Dogs Against Romney|author = Scott Crider|date = June 30, 2007}}
*{{cite web|url=http://aboutmittromney.com/dogs.htm#pets|title= Mitt Romney's personal life and pets|publisher = About Mitt Romney|author = John Stevens|date = March, 12, 2011}}
*{{cite web|url = http://videos.mediaite.com/video/Newt-Gingrich-Attack-Ad-Dogs-Mi|title = Newt Gingrich attack ad dogs Mitt Romney over putting pooch on roof|publisher = ]|format = ''political ad video''|author = ] presidential campaign|date = January 12, 2012}}
*{{cite web|author = Angie Drobnic Holan|url = http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/sep/13/gail-collins/mitt-romney-and-dog-car-roof-one-columnists-obsess/|title = Mitt Romney and the dog on the car roof: one columnist's obsession|publisher = ]|date = September 13, 2011}}
*{{cite web|url = http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-diane-sawyer-sits-mitt-ann-romney/story?id=16150624&page=8#.T412D9nh_To|title = Transcript: Mitt and Ann Romney's interview with Diane Sawyer (page 8)|publisher = ABC News|author=]|date=April 16, 2012}}
*{{cite web|url = http://videos.mediaite.com/video/Mitt-Romney-Appears-On-SNL-To-2|title = Mitt Romney appears on SNL to reassure voters that he’s doing very well||format= ''parody sketch video''|publisher = Mediaite|author =]|date = February 12, 2012}}


] ] of '']'' defended Mitt Romney's treatment of Seamus, stating, "Doesn't the fact that Romney chose to bring the dog on the family vacation, rather than dump him in a kennel back home, suggest that he's a dog lover, not a hater?"<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/defending-mitt-romneys-road-trip-with-a-dog-on-the-roof/2012/03/15/gIQAMUhKES_story.html|title=Doggone it, stop hounding Romney|newspaper=Washington Post|first1=Ruth|last1=Marcus|date=March 15, 2012}}</ref> Neil Swidey, '']'' journalist who wrote the initial article about Romney's 1983 road trip, stated, " always struck me as a valuable window into how Romney operates. In everything the guy does, he functions on logic, not emotion."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2012/01/08/what_our_fascination_with_mitt_romneys_dog_seamus_says_about_our_culture/|title=What our fascination with Mitt Romney's dog Seamus says about our culture|newspaper=]|first1=Neil|last1=Swidey|date=January 8, 2012|access-date=September 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120709213649/http://articles.boston.com/2012-01-08/news/30605151_1_romney-family-mitt-romney-dog|archive-date=July 9, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
]

]
A ] survey found that 74% of Democrats, 66% of independents, and 63% of Republicans consider it inhumane to put a family dog in a kennel on the roof of a car. The poll did not mention the windshield. The poll also found that 35% of voters would be less likely to vote for Romney because of the Seamus incident, whereas 55% of voters said that it would not affect how they vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2012/03/polling-on-romneys-dog-problem.html|title=Polling on Romney's 'dog problem'|publisher=Public Policy Polling|first1=Tom|last1=Jensen|date=March 20, 2012|access-date=September 21, 2012}}</ref> As of September 2012, '']'' columnist ] had mentioned the Romneys' car trip more than 70 times.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/mitt-romneys-dog-on-the-car-roof-story-still-proves-to-be-his-critics-best-friend/2012/03/14/gIQAp2LxCS_story.html|title=Mitt Romney's dog-on-the-car-roof story still proves to be his critics' best friend|newspaper=Washington Post|first1=Philip|last1=Rucker|date=March 14, 2012|access-date=September 21, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://aldridge.tumblr.com/post/17656604102/collins-romney-dog|title=Complete list of every time Gail Collins has mentioned the Seamus incident|publisher=String & Sealing Wax|first1=Matthew|last1=Aldrich|date=May 13, 2012|access-date=September 21, 2012}}</ref><ref name="Drobnic">{{cite web|first1=Angie|last1=Drobnic Holan|url=http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/sep/13/gail-collins/mitt-romney-and-dog-car-roof-one-columnists-obsess/|title=Mitt Romney and the dog on the car roof: one columnist's obsession|work=]|publisher=]|date=September 13, 2011|access-date=September 21, 2012}}</ref>

Responding to Democrats who emphasized the Seamus story, conservative bloggers such as Jim Treacher drew a comparison between the Seamus incident when Romney was a 36-year-old man, and Barack Obama sampling dog meat as a child in Indonesia, where it is a local delicacy, as mentioned in Obama's autobiography.<ref name=Insider>{{cite web|first1=Grace|last1=Wyler|url=http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-04-18/politics/31355959_1_dog-meat-dog-wars-president-obama|title=Conservatives Fight Back: Barack Obama Ate a Dog|website=]|date=April 18, 2012|access-date=September 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127005811/http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-04-18/politics/31355959_1_dog-meat-dog-wars-president-obama|archive-date=January 27, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first1=Patricia|last1=Zengerle|url=http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2012/04/18/so-neither-party-gets-the-dog-vote/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421014837/http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2012/04/18/so-neither-party-gets-the-dog-vote/|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 21, 2012|title=So neither party gets the dog vote?|work=]|date=April 18, 2012|access-date=September 21, 2012}}</ref> While an Obama spokesman called it an attack on a small child, Obama himself has displayed a sense of humor about it.<ref group=upper-alpha>The ] saw Obama saying that ]'s stint guest hosting '']'' reminded him of an old query: "What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? A pit bull is delicious." {{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/30/obama-ate-dog-seamus-romney_n_1464749.html|title=Obama Ate Dog, and He'd Do It Again to Remind You of Seamus Romney|type=Video|first1=Arthur|last1=Delaney|first2=Hunter|last2=Stuart|date=April 30, 2012|newspaper=]|access-date=September 20, 2012}}</ref><ref name="cspap">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2012/0420/Mitt-Romney-vs.-Barack-Obama-Who-gets-the-dog-owners-vote/(page)/2|title=Mitt Romney vs. Barack Obama: Who gets the dog owners vote?|first1=Jocelyn|last1=Noveck|newspaper=]|access-date=September 20, 2012|date=April 20, 2012}}</ref>

At the 2012 ] dinner, Obama poked fun at Romney releasing an "advertisement" depicting Romney and Seamus.<ref>{{cite video | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j3QRmc7fKw | title=Presidents Obama pokes fun at Mitt Romney's dog | publisher=] | date=April 28, 2012}}</ref>

] released the single ''Don't Roof Rack Me Bro (Seamus Unleashed),'' dedicated to Seamus.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-06-24|title=Devo Backs Seamus: 'Don't Roof Rack Me, Bro!' - ABC News|website=]|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/devo-backs-seamus-dont-roof-rack-me-bro/|access-date=2021-08-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170624073112/https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/devo-backs-seamus-dont-roof-rack-me-bro/|archive-date=June 24, 2017}}</ref>

==See also==
* ]
{{Portal|1980s}}

== Explanatory footnotes ==
{{Reflist|group=upper-alpha}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{cite news |title=Romney on his dog Seamus |url=https://online.wsj.com/video/038AA394-5B31-4C79-A012-45983C9CB38B.html|newspaper=]|date=December 21, 2011|type=video}}
* {{cite web |first1=Diane|last1=Sawyer|author-link=Diane Sawyer|date=April 16, 2012 |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-diane-sawyer-sits-mitt-ann-romney/story?id=16150624 |title=Transcript: Mitt and Ann Romney's interview with Diane Sawyer (page 8)|publisher=]}}

{{Mitt Romney}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Romney dog incident}}
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Latest revision as of 03:45, 20 December 2024

21st century US political controversy

Mitt Romney dog incident
The Romneys' Irish Setter, Seamus
DateJune 1983
LocationRomneys' station wagon en route from Belmont, Massachusetts to Beach O'Pines, Ontario
First reporterReported by Neil Swidey in The Boston Globe in June 2007
Participants

During a 1983 family vacation, American businessman and future politician Mitt Romney drove 12 hours with his dog on top of the car in a windshield-equipped carrier. This incident became the subject of negative media attention and political attacks on Romney in both the 2008 and the 2012 presidential elections.

Road trip in 1983

In June 1983, the Romney family left their Belmont, Massachusetts home on their way to Romney's parents' cottage in Beach O' Pines, Ontario for an annual vacation along the shore of Lake Huron. Their dog, Seamus, rode in a carrier on the roof of the family's Chevrolet Caprice station wagon for the 12-hour trip. Romney had built a windshield for the carrier to make the ride more comfortable for the dog. During the 650-mile (1,050 km) trip, Seamus got diarrhea. The Romneys were first alerted to the Irish Setter’s bowel issues when son Tagg Romney noticed brown liquid pouring down the back window, followed immediately by him and his younger brothers yelling in disgust. Romney stopped at a gas station to wash the dog, the carrier, and the car. With Seamus back in the carrier, the family continued on their way.

Seamus the dog

Seamus (/ˈʃeɪməs/ SHAY-məs), an Irish Setter, was an active, outgoing dog, and was the Romney family's first pet dog. It is generally reported that, a few years after his ride to Canada, Seamus was given to Mitt Romney's sister, Jane Romney Robinson of California, who said, "He kept ending up at the pound. They were worried about him getting hit crossing the street. We had more space, so he could roam more freely." The dog's date of death is unknown, but Robinson stated that Seamus lived to a "ripe old age" on her farm in California.

Family response

When interviewed by Chris Wallace of Fox News, Romney stated that Seamus enjoyed being in the dog carrier, an "air-tight kennel", and that he was not aware of any violations of Massachusetts law; the state's animal cruelty laws prohibit anyone from carrying an animal "in or upon a vehicle, or otherwise, in an unnecessarily cruel or inhumane manner." In earlier accounts, Romney described a makeshift "windshield".

Ann Romney, Mitt Romney's wife, has stated that the news media exaggerated the severity of the incident, and compared traveling in the roof-top dog carrier to riding a motorcycle or riding in the bed of a pickup truck.

During an April 2012 interview with ABC News, Diane Sawyer asked the Romneys about Seamus and the road trip, and if he would ever do it again. Romney offered, "He loves it, it's his favorite." During the same interview, Ann Romney attributed Seamus' troubles to eating turkey off the table. Romney stated that he loved his dog.

Other responses

In 2007, Ingrid Newkirk, president of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), criticized Romney for the incident. Responding to PETA, Romney said, "my dog likes fresh air".

Newkirk has elaborated (speaking for herself rather than for PETA) that the Seamus incident irritates her because "there are far more serious issues to talk about" regarding the mistreatment of animals.

In 2012, after a Dogs Against Romney protest outside the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, MacArthur Animal Hospital's Dr. Rawstrom was contacted by Slate about the plausibility of the Romneys' claim Seamus just had to poop in his crate. "They (dogs) prefer clean environments; that’s why one principle of crate training is to give them a space large enough to move around in but small enough that they don’t want to defecate inside.” She added Seamus' loose stool was likely indicative of "high levels of stress."

During the 2012 U.S. Republican presidential primaries, candidate Newt Gingrich aired an anti-Romney attack ad that featured the story. While appearing on the ABC show This Week, Republican candidate Rick Santorum stated, "As far as Seamus the dog ... the issues of character are important in this election. We need to look at all those issues and make a determination as to whether that's the kind of person you want to be president of the United States." Santorum's view was at odds with that of Bill Wasik, senior editor of Wired Magazine: "Yet looking back on the Seamus Romney story today, what is most striking is its forgettability, how indistinguishable it seems in retrospect from the idiots' parade of meaningless stories that came to define the campaign."

Journalists Mike Allen and Evan Thomas assert that Romney did nothing unusual: "Overlooked in the clucking over the incident is the fact that the dog was in a crate, probably little different from the dog kennels used to transport animals in the cold-storage compartments of airplanes. Romney had erected a barrier to shield the family pet from the wind. Romney, the family man, heading to the lake, didn't seem heartless at the time. But politics is a heartless business."

Journalist Ruth Marcus of The Washington Post defended Mitt Romney's treatment of Seamus, stating, "Doesn't the fact that Romney chose to bring the dog on the family vacation, rather than dump him in a kennel back home, suggest that he's a dog lover, not a hater?" Neil Swidey, The Boston Globe journalist who wrote the initial article about Romney's 1983 road trip, stated, " always struck me as a valuable window into how Romney operates. In everything the guy does, he functions on logic, not emotion."

A Public Policy Polling (PPP) survey found that 74% of Democrats, 66% of independents, and 63% of Republicans consider it inhumane to put a family dog in a kennel on the roof of a car. The poll did not mention the windshield. The poll also found that 35% of voters would be less likely to vote for Romney because of the Seamus incident, whereas 55% of voters said that it would not affect how they vote. As of September 2012, New York Times columnist Gail Collins had mentioned the Romneys' car trip more than 70 times.

Responding to Democrats who emphasized the Seamus story, conservative bloggers such as Jim Treacher drew a comparison between the Seamus incident when Romney was a 36-year-old man, and Barack Obama sampling dog meat as a child in Indonesia, where it is a local delicacy, as mentioned in Obama's autobiography. While an Obama spokesman called it an attack on a small child, Obama himself has displayed a sense of humor about it.

At the 2012 White House Correspondents' Association dinner, Obama poked fun at Romney releasing an "advertisement" depicting Romney and Seamus.

Devo released the single Don't Roof Rack Me Bro (Seamus Unleashed), dedicated to Seamus.

See also

Explanatory footnotes

  1. The White House Correspondents' Dinner saw Obama saying that Sarah Palin's stint guest hosting The Today Show reminded him of an old query: "What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? A pit bull is delicious." Delaney, Arthur; Stuart, Hunter (April 30, 2012). "Obama Ate Dog, and He'd Do It Again to Remind You of Seamus Romney". Huffington Post (Video). Retrieved September 20, 2012.

References

  1. ^ Swidey, Neil; Ebbert, Stephanie (June 27, 2007). "Journeys of a shared life". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  2. ^ Mikkelson, Barbara; Mikkelson, David (January 21, 2008). "Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney transported a dog atop his car". Snopes.com. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  3. Parker, Jennifer (June 28, 2007). "Romney strapped dog to car roof". ABC News. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  4. Moos, Jeanne (January 13, 2012). "Mitt Romney 'dog-on-the-roof' story appears in Newt Gingrich ad". KSDK News (St. Louis). Archived from the original on January 3, 2013. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  5. ^ Romney, Ann (June 30, 2007). "From Ann Romney". Mitt Romney – Road to the White House. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  6. Swidey, Neil (July 10, 2007). "Introducing Seamus Romney, 'Mr. Personality'". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  7. Jacobson, Julie (February 3, 2012). "Tale of pooch on car roof dogs Romney". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  8. Kottwitz, Sue (January 8, 2012). "Dog politics: Mitt Romney, Seamus & the now infamous vacation". Zimbio. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  9. "Dogs Against Romney". Time. June 27, 2007.
  10. "Dog on Roof? What Was It Like for Romney's Pooch?". ABC News. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  11. Rucker, Philip (March 14, 2012). "Mitt Romney's dog-on-the-car-roof story still proves to be his critics' best friend". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  12. Goldman, Russell; Friedman, Emily (April 16, 2012). "Dog Seamus 'loved' trips atop family car, Says Ann Romney". ABC News.
  13. Little, Morgan (April 17, 2012). "Mitt, Ann Romney defend putting dog on car roof; fallout continues". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  14. *Price, Dave (June 30, 2007). "Romney Loves His Dog" (video). WHO-DT. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  15. Cox, Ana Marie (June 27, 2007). "Romney's cruel canine vacation". TIME Magazine. Archived from the original on June 28, 2007.
  16. Folkenflik, David (December 20, 2011). "Why Mitt Romney's Dog Is Getting A Lot Of Press". NPR. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  17. ^ Noveck, Jocelyn (April 20, 2012). "Mitt Romney vs. Barack Obama: Who gets the dog owners vote?". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved September 20, 2012.
  18. "Romney protest held outside Westminster dog show". AP NEWS. February 14, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  19. Waldman, Katy (February 16, 2012). "Did the Romney Family Dog Flee to Canada in Fear?". Slate. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  20. "Seamus Returns – Gingrich Ad Revives Romney's Dog Debacle" (video/text). ABC News. January 11, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  21. Oliphant, James (January 12, 2012). "New anti-Romney ad by Gingrich goes to the dog". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  22. Hunt, Kasie (January 14, 2012). "Attacks on Romney getting personal". Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 16, 2012.
  23. Bingham, Amy (March 19, 2012). "Santorum team doggedly resurrects Romney's Seamus tale". ABC News. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  24. Wasik, Bill (2009). And Then There's This: How Stories Live and Die in Viral Culture. Penguin Publishing. p. 145.
  25. Allen, Mike; Thomas, Evan (2012). Inside the Circus. Random House.
  26. Marcus, Ruth (March 15, 2012). "Doggone it, stop hounding Romney". Washington Post.
  27. Swidey, Neil (January 8, 2012). "What our fascination with Mitt Romney's dog Seamus says about our culture". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  28. Jensen, Tom (March 20, 2012). "Polling on Romney's 'dog problem'". Public Policy Polling. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  29. Rucker, Philip (March 14, 2012). "Mitt Romney's dog-on-the-car-roof story still proves to be his critics' best friend". Washington Post. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  30. Aldrich, Matthew (May 13, 2012). "Complete list of every time Gail Collins has mentioned the Seamus incident". String & Sealing Wax. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  31. Drobnic Holan, Angie (September 13, 2011). "Mitt Romney and the dog on the car roof: one columnist's obsession". Tampa Bay Times. PolitiFact.com. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  32. Wyler, Grace (April 18, 2012). "Conservatives Fight Back: Barack Obama Ate a Dog". Business Insider. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  33. Zengerle, Patricia (April 18, 2012). "So neither party gets the dog vote?". Reuters. Archived from the original on April 21, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  34. Presidents Obama pokes fun at Mitt Romney's dog. CNN. April 28, 2012.
  35. "Devo Backs Seamus: 'Don't Roof Rack Me, Bro!' - ABC News". ABC News. June 24, 2017. Archived from the original on June 24, 2017. Retrieved August 5, 2021.

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