Sunday, February 22, 2009
Socks the Cat R.I.P
The newspapers are reporting this morning that Socks, the cat that moved from the governor’s mansion in Arkansas to the White House with the Clintons has died at the grand old age of 20.According to this report, Betty Currie, the president's personal secretary, and her husband, Bob, took over care of Socks after the Clintons left the White House. It was near their home in Maryland that Socks was put to sleep Friday morning. "He could no longer stand and wasn’t eating," according to family friend and presidential historian Barry Landau.
Though much was made of the fact that Buddy, the family’s beloved brown Labrador retriever – who died after being hit by a car in 2002 – remained with the Clintons while Socks did not, Landau says, "The truth be known, Betty asked if Socks could come live with her. The Clintons didn’t abandon Socks. They were totally conflicted. It broke their hearts, but they knew it would be the right thing for Socks’ welfare.”
The report continues: In the years since he left the White House, Landau says, "Socks had an incredible life. Betty cooked for Socks," he said, noting the cat loved chicken. He was also the subject (along with the family dog) of a book by Hillary Clinton titled 'Dear Socks, Dear Buddy: Kids’ Letters to the First Pets'. On Thursday, Currie took Socks for one last walk; she plans to have the cat cremated.
