It is important for the public to keep in mind that the dog-adoption decisions are personal matters for the Obama family, and not for the President-elect in his official capacity.  Matters of public policy and direction are fair game for the President-elect; matters for Obama the family are not.

To that end, I recommend that we leave the issue of naming a dog entirely to the Obama girls.  They need to feel like they have some control and privacy in their lives, and naming a pooch is something they can own.

As for a adopting a shelter dog, I'm all for it!  My wife and I adopted Ginger in September.  Without too much in the way of absolute adoption criteria, we ended up with a loving dog that doesn't shed much.  And even though my wife intended on avoiding ANYTHING that had any pit bull in it, we are now the proud parents of what appears to be a Jack-Pit-Russell-Bull.  If the Obamas hit a few shelters and keep their options open, I'm sure they can find a hypoallergenic dog that matches the personality of the family, and not just the President-elect.  That's what our country needs!