Kennedy as dog lover

The White House's The Briefing Room blog posted this picture of Sen. Ted Kennedy and his wife Vicki greeting Bo in the Outer Oval Office of the White House April 21. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza.)

Tributes are pouring in for the late senator, some having to do with his love of dogs.

He had two Portuguese water dogs — Sunny and Splash — and was instrumental in the Obamas getting Bo.

Here's a story from the Los Angeles Times's L.A. Unleashed blog about Kennedy.

Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, wrote today that Kennedy was "a stalwart ally over the years on a wide range of legislation to protect companion animals, farm animals, animals in research and wildlife," adding that the senator from Massachusetts was instrumental in the passage of animal welfare legislation including laws that cracked down on dogfighting and cockfighting, protected horses and other farm animals, and sent chimpanzees once used in medical research to sanctuaries.

Say what you will about the man, he was a force to be reckoned with.