White House defends 'lil Barney in Rove-attack

Barney: No "lump." White House photo

by Mark Silva

Dana Perino is a dog-lover.

So who better to send, in defense of First Dog Barney than Perino, the White House deputy press secretary.

It seems that Karl Rove, the outgoing deputy chief of staff, had some unkind words for the Scottish terrier that roams the South Lawn -- called the little doggie a "lump."

So the folks at National Public Radio's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me! invited Perino to stand up for the presidential pedigree.

Perino knows her way around dogs. Her own beautiful Vizsla, Henry, is a well-trained, partisan pooch, trained to retrieve flip-flops on the command: "John Kerry."

So this is one canine smack-down in which Rove has met his match.

"I wouldn’t call him a lump,'' Perino says of Barney on the radio. And, as for Rove: "Of course... Karl is on his way out the door.''

And, asked if she ever draws pooper-scooper duty at the White House, Perino says: "Well... I deal with the press a lot.''

Tune in today for the show produced by NPR, Chicago Public Radio and executive producer Doug Berman and aired on 425 stations. And here are some excerpts, courtesy of NPR:

(First, a contextual note: It was the New York Times which started this, with these lines from a a farewell interview with Rove:"There was one stark sign that Mr. Rove was truly leaving,'' the Times' Jim Rutenberg wrote for Sunday's editions. "He expressed what no White House aide would express publicly, though many very senior officials have shared the sentiment privately: that is, distaste for the president's beloved Scottish terrier, Barney, who is seen by some as aloof and entitled. ''Barney's a lump,'' he joked.)

WAIT, WAIT, DONT TELL ME! HOST PETER SAGAL: According to the New York Times, senior White House aides feel that the Scottish terror is “aloof and entitled.” Now, we did not think this slam at the presidential pet could go unanswered. So it is our pleasure to welcome Dana Perino, Deputy White House Secretary, to our show. Dana, welcome to Wait Wait.

DANA PERINO: Hi. Remind me why I agreed to do this.

MR. SAGAL: You know, I was hoping someone would have pushed the mute button while we had you on hold, but perhaps not.

MS. PERINO: No, I heard everything.

MR. SAGAL: Alright, well. Dana, so – and we know that you, unlike Mr. Rove, are still employed at the White House – and we ask you this: Is Barney, in fact a lump.

MS. PERINO: I wouldn’t call him a lump. Of course, you’re right, Karl is on his way out the door. Look, Barney’s kind of standoffish, but he’s got personality. He’s got a little bit of sass. You know, I don’t think – he doesn’t let people get too close to him.

MR. SAGAL: What does Barney think about Rove?

MS. PERINO: Well, I did see one thing last week when we were down in Texas. In fact it was actually more Ms. Beazley. They alternated from wanting to be petted by him to growling at him. So it was maybe a love/hate relationship.

KYRIE O’CONNOR: So Karl didn’t have to, like, carry the pooper-scooper or anything?

MS. PERINO: No, that job is reserved for other people. Like me.

MR. SAGAL: Really?

MS. PERINO: Well, I do deal with – I deal with the press a lot.

MR. SAGAL: I see. Well done! Well done, Ms. Perino. Dana Perino is, at least until her bosses hear this broadcast, the Deputy Press Secretary at the White House. Dana, thank you so much for joining us today.

MS. PERINO: Thank you, I love your show.