Obama faces first diplomatic crisis

Will it become puppygate?

An association in Peru that promotes a breed of hairless canine has offered the Obama family a pure-bred pup, and it's hard to see what excuse the President-elect can make to turn down the pooch. Can he come out and say "Thanks but no thanks" without causing an international incident? Can he accept the dog without causing an uproar at home? A hairless dog is quite the opposite of the Goldendoodle the family is said to favor.

The delicacy with which Obama handles this test (not quite the sort of thing Joe Biden had in mind, I expect) may give us a deep insight into how he will handle future diplomatic outreach to friend and foe alike.

To be fair to the breed, a grown Peruvian Hairless would seem to be a handsome and elegant dog. The puppy version, at least the one pictured in the Daily Telegraph article linked above, is most definitely neither.

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