More presidential pet news

I am behind the curve on this story by a couple days, but before there was Barney there was Socks. THE GREATEST PRESIDENTIAL PET EVER.

Socks is sick. He's also 19, so it's not that unexpected. Apparently the kitty is on death's doorstep thanks to a bad case of cancer.

Keep Socks in your thoughts and prayers. We haven't had such a high profile cat in the White House in a while (I barely knew who "Willard" was when I watched Barney's most recent video). I think Socks was a far classier pet than any we've seen recently. He never bit anyone. He was a mutt, yet dignified -- just look at that regal pose.

And sadly, we probably won't be seeing a new feline cosying up in the rose garden anytime soon with the allergic little dog lovers moving in. So the death of Socks will certainly be the nail in the coffin on the era of classy presidential pets.