What’s the deal with Gail Collins and Romney’s dog?
Gail Collins loves telling the story of how Mitt Romney drove his family to Canada with the family dog strapped to the roof of the car — and telling it, and telling it, and telling it.
The liberal New York Times columnist has mentioned the incident in print 19 times, by our count. She devoted a column to the incident in 2007 when Romney first ran for president. In another column, she suggested John McCain pick Romney for his running mate “so I can repeatedly revisit the time Mitt drove to Canada with the family dog on the station-wagon roof.” And when Sarah Palin was picked instead, and Collins opined that “unlike Mitt Romney, she has never gone on vacation with the family dog strapped to the roof of the car.”
And just last week, she noted that the issue wasn’t discussed during the Republican debate at the Ronald Reagan Library. Romney’s top rival, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, reportedly shot a coyote that was threatening his daughter’s dog, which made the Romney anecdote relevant. “His puppy-rescue is a stirring picture, especially considering that Perry’s chief competitor is the man who drove to Canada with the family dog Seamus strapped to the roof of the car.”
Aside from wondering why Collins is so obsessed with the story, we also wondered: Is it true? Find the answer here.
Our Sources
Gail Collins loves telling the story of how Mitt Romney drove his family to Canada with the family dog strapped to the roof of the car -- and telling it, and telling it, and telling it.
The liberal New York Times columnist has mentioned the incident in print 19 times, by our count. She devoted a column to the incident in 2007 when Romney first ran for president. In another column, she suggested John McCain pick Romney for his running mate "so I can repeatedly revisit the time Mitt drove to Canada with the family dog on the station-wagon roof." And when Sarah Palin was picked instead, and Collins opined that "unlike Mitt Romney, she has never gone on vacation with the family dog strapped to the roof of the car."
Collins regularly includes the incident in jocular news quizzes she writes. (A typical question: Which Republican hopeful "continued to fail to explain why he drove to Canada with the family dog strapped to the roof of the car?" Mitt Romney.) She complained that his 2010 campaign book No Apology didn't mention it, calling it "a critical oversight." Last year, just in time for the holidays, she suggested someone make "a tasteful Mitt Romney Christmas Ornament" depicting the scene of the dog on the roof.
And just last week, she noted that the issue wasn't discussed during the Republican debate at the Ronald Reagan Library. Romney's top rival, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, reportedly shot a coyote that was threatening his daughter's dog, which made the Romney anecdote relevant. "His puppy-rescue is a stirring picture, especially considering that Perry's chief competitor is the man who drove to Canada with the family dog Seamus strapped to the roof of the car."
Aside from wondering why Collins is so obsessed with the story, we also wondered: Is it true?
