Monday, September 17, 2012

WOW #73: Hitting the Campaign Trail

Hi everybody! This campaigning is really fun! But it sure wears the humans out! Last weekend we went to the Puplican National Convention - better known as the BROOD Ramble - where my nomination for President was officially announced. It was a great day!

I was so excited to get there. It was a beautiful venue!


I started campaigning right away.


Hi my name is Bentley!


I hope you'll vote for me for President.


Don't forget to tell your humans too! Thanks pal! See ya later!

We brought lots of campaign buttons and bumper stickers.



We have some cool suggestions of ways to use them:



Everyone LOVED them, including all my Facebook pals.


I had the great honor of seeing De Queen again.


Bailey, as beautiful as always, was rockin' a pawsome DorothyfromtheWizardofOz look.


And Bimmer got to meet her too! She was utterly thrilled!


Bailey conferred a very great honor on us! She let us wait with her for the Ramble to begin.

Here's the actual Ramble.



If you look close you can see Mummy in the distance in this one. When we got up close to where Auntie A was taking pictures, some guy got between us and her and she couldn't get a good shot.


Here's our triumphant return from the Ramble to our campaign table.



I had to pause for a bit of friendly conversation on the way.


Campaigning is a full time job! Here's some of the new friends we met:


Sweet and pretty Petunia


Charlie, one of the rescues.


A definite vote!

Between visits with my public, I practiced for the cookie toss.


It was a very exciting event. I took the bronze medal!

I was very eager to make my speach. Here I am checking to see if it's time yet...


...and practicing my "honest and noble" look...


There was only one ugly spot in the day:


When I'm President the first thing I'm going to do is....well the FIRST thing I'm going to do is host a Steak Dinner, we have to keep our priorities straight after all...but THEN I'm going to outlaw those dumb halties! I HATE that thing! Mummy said I was "pulling" and I'd choke myself! HUMMMPPHH! I wasn't pulling, I was *campaigning* she just needs to move faster and keep up with me, that's all!

Other than that though it was a spectacular day! I'm ready to go again! Mummy! Auntie A! Come on!

Mummy? Auntie A? Boy! They sure do run out of energy quick! Oh well! Until next time, remember:

VOTE FOR BENTLEY!!!






Sunday, August 26, 2012

WOW #72: How to Win Over Congress and the Press!

Greetings friends and future constituents! It's really fun on the campaign trail. I'm meeting lots of friends who are very excited about this election. One question that I get asked a lot is: how will you manage to work with Congress and the Press? It seems getting along with these two organizations is very important to a President's success! Well, I have the perfect way to deal with them! Are you ready for this?

Here it is:


I call it "da LOOK"

No one can resist this for long. I've been practicing for YEARS!

Why I even practiced it on Auntie A the very first day I came to live with Mummy!


You may remember I had to win her over!


But WHO could resist this face?

I worked on my posture some too over the next few weeks.


Body language is VERY important. I do hope I was conveying the correct amount of pathos in this picture!


I'm sure Presidents need a way to let people know that they need a break before they start being Presidential again.


And then there's the old "Gotta Love Me - Give Me What I Want" version of Da LOOK that every Basset knows:


I've been practicing this one for years too.



I'm telling you, being adorable is important to EVERY profession! I think that's the reason most recent Presidents have been perceived as not very good at the job: they weren't adorable enough.


See? It's an art form!

Da Look is important for visiting dignitaries also. When I went to visit Bailey, De Queen, she not only granted me an audience


she was so impressed with my deferential behavior and my excellent mastery of Da LOOK, she made me an honorary Knight!


Da LOOK can also be used to show one's thoughtful side. A President must look thoughtful. No one would trust a President who can't be thoughtful!




A variation on this is "thoughtful and CONCERNED"


This version of da LOOK can be used during all national emergencies.


A President should convey the idea that he can't eat or sleep because he's too busy being Concerned about whatever emergency it happens to be and Thoughtful about how to solve it!

Now if all else fails and Congress and the Press remain hardhearted (I can't imagine that they would, but who knows?) There's one final variation of da LOOK that ought to win the day.

I call it "Pathetic and Disappointed"


(It's good to have your Vice President backing you up in this.


It's necessary to be careful with this look. I wouldn't want to appear to sulk


Instead, I look saddened by the behavior of those who have displeased me as if my heart is breaking


And I give them "the eye" to let them know I will not put up with this much longer, they need to mend their ways.


This leads me to a more "take charge" version of this attitude: the "I'm Running Out of Patience and It's Time For You to Get Your Act Together Congress/Press" look


And if they're being really ridiculous, I can always get the American people (and dogs) (and cats) (and birds, bears, hamsters etc) to join me in questioning what in the world they are actually trying to do!


Finally if all else fails...if Congress won't go along with my sensible plans...if the Press tries to say I'm not a good President (because of course I WILL be, the very best!) I'll go straight to the American Public with THIS look - the big guns version of da LOOK


Then everyone will just say, "oh look how mean the Congress and the Press are being to poor wonderful President Bentley! THAT'll teach 'em! Heh Heh!

Okay, I need to get back to stumping now! I'll try to keep you updated from my next whistlestop.


Tuesday, August 14, 2012

WOW #71: Campaign Duties

Hi Everybody!

It has been such a busy week! I've had so many meetings for all sorts of things!

One thing that my committee felt was very important was the selection of my campaign button.

They brought me several designs.


It was sooooo hard choosing just one!

I had to deliberate for a really long time.


I tried moving them around in different positions to see them all in the best light.

Then I tried them on to see which one looked the best...


FINALLY I was able to make my selection!


This is the final choice:


Some people are saying they'd like to have one, so we've ordered some and since we like to support Basset Rescue organizations, Bimmer and I are both going to walk in the BROOD Ramble in September. BROOD stands for Basset Rescue of Old Dominion. Bimmer is walking in memory of her good friend Bimmer Gibbons and I'll be walking in memory of the sweet and beautiful Cindy Lou Best.

We've set up a page where you can donate to BROOD in memory of these two special friends and anyone who does can get a "Bentley for President" button!

Here's the link:

http://4hardimans.chipin.com/bimmer-gibbons-brood-basset-rescue

We're so excited about the ramble! Even Turbo thinks he might take a day off from watching the races and head up to Frederick, MD with us for this event. We're planning to see a lot of our friends there and we'll be doing some major campaigning too! Hope to see you there!

Now I really have to go! This campaigning is really, REALLY exhausting work!