RIP Bo Obama

The First Dog made it through eight years in the White House without biting anyone.

President Barack Obama's family dog "Bo," goes for a walk on the lawn in front of The White House in Washington Saturday, July 4, 2009.Alex Brandon/AP Photo

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

Just as President Joe Biden seems to be repopulating the White House with (poorly behaved) pets comes the sad news that the Obama family dog, Bo, has died after a battle with cancer.

A present from the late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA), the Portuguese water dog joined the Obama family in mid-2009, after a long search for an appropriate hypoallergenic puppy for the Obama daughters, Sasha and Malia, who were eight and ten at the time. Bo was a popular member of the household and subject of many photo shoots, though apparently even Bo was viewed through a racialized lens of the first Black presidency. An amazing study in 2012 found that racists would never admit that the floof was cute, even though they thought Kennedy’s nearly identical dog Splash was adorable.

Bo was the subject of several books, recreated as a plush toy, featured in a Seth Meyers Late Night skit and was even part of a small drama in 2016, when he was the target of a kidnapping plot by an armed man from North Dakota. Separation anxiety did not seem to be an issue for the celebrity pet. 

Here are some cute puppy photos in remembrance of Bo:

Michelle Obama / Instagram

The official portrait of the Obama family dog “Bo”, a Portuguese water dog, on the South Lawn of the White House.

Chuck Kennedy / Official White House photo

 

Pete Souza / Official White House photo

 

 

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate