# RIP Socks **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 20, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784 "2009-02-20T23:24:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/1 "2009-02-20T23:24:28Z")
[Socks has died.](http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/) He was the Clintons’ cat in the White House. He had mouth cancer, and would have turned 20 this spring. He was a lucky kitty who had a long, interesting life. Somewhere, I have a “Socks Fan Club” button with a paw print on it. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/2 "2009-02-20T23:50:13Z")
> [@](#): > > WASHINGTON (CNN) – Socks, the cat who won international fame during his years in the Clinton White House, was euthanized Friday after months of treatment for cancer. > > Socks, who was born in 1989, was put to sleep about 10 a.m. at Three Notch Veterinary Clinic in Hollywood, Maryland, said veterinary assistant Rae Dera. Veterinarians say he was probably either 19 or 20 years old. > > The cat had been losing weight since November and had been treated at the clinic, Dera said. He had been suffering from a cancer in his mouth and jaw. Source: [Socks, former Clinton cat, put to sleep - CNN.com](http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/20/socks.obit/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2009, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/3 "2009-02-20T23:59:02Z")
Damn! I had assumed Socks died long ago. RIP. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![ming\_the\_merciless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58956e/32.png) [@ming\_the\_merciless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ming_the_merciless)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/4 "2009-02-21T00:10:36Z")
I will always wonder , Did Mr Clinton wipe it on socks ,the curtain or Monica’s dress? Enquiring minds and all that ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/5 "2009-02-21T00:12:05Z")
Bummer. I hate that. ---
**Author:** ![SylverOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SylverOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SylverOne)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/6 "2009-02-21T00:26:54Z")
Bill’s lucky that cat can’t talk… The stories he could probably tell! Bye, Socks. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/7 "2009-02-21T00:26:59Z")
the last time i checked on him they were saying his health had seriously declined. socks sent my 2 cats a signed photo during his white house years. my 2 were younger than him and are no doubt showing him all the nifty heavenly cat places. that’s 2 presidential cats in a few months as india the cat of the w. bush white house has passed recently. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/8 "2009-02-21T00:36:25Z")
I’ve combined the two Socks threads so that they’re now a pair… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Race\_Harley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Race\_Harley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Harley)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/9 "2009-02-21T02:39:31Z")
Mouth cancer? Socks was smoking Bill’s supply of cigars? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/10 "2009-02-21T03:03:58Z")
> [@Race\_Harley](#): > > Mouth cancer? **Socks was smoking Bill’s supply of cigars?** Couldn’t be. Wrong end. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/11 "2009-02-21T03:16:04Z")
> [@Race\_Harley](#): > > Mouth cancer? Socks was smoking Bill’s supply of cigars? Or maybe he was smoking Bill’s cigar? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/12 "2009-02-21T05:22:18Z")
I’m sure he’s just satisfied he outlived that interloper Buddy. Oh, and the photo in the CNN article supplied one of my favorite LOLcats-style photos ever, circa 2004. (“im in ur house takin ur seatz”). ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/13 "2009-02-21T09:41:33Z")
I remember his appearance in this one editorial cartoon. He wasn’t the focus of it, but I found his appearance absolutely hilarious. The premise was “Take Your Daughter To Work Day” and Chelsea was on the Oval Office phone saying, “That’s right: start bombing the Serbs in ten minutes,” while Socks was draped over the corner of the desk. I just wish I could link to it, because the cartoonist perfectly captured the “liquid cat” effect. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2009, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/14 "2009-02-21T11:42:12Z")
I had a t-shirt with Socks jumping on a small lizard. The White House was in the background to let you know for sure it was Socks. The shirt read _“No Newt is good newt.”_ ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2009, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/15 "2009-02-22T00:52:53Z")
My regard for the Clintons deteriorated upon reading that they didn’t keep Socks after leaving the White House. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/16 "2009-02-22T01:05:30Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > My regard for the Clintons deteriorated upon reading that they didn’t keep Socks after leaving the White House. It was Chelseas cat though. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2009, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/17 "2009-02-22T01:17:16Z")
Love the photo in the CNN story. Socks was a handsome cuss! ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/18 "2009-02-22T01:33:59Z")
Alas, poor Socks. You will be missed. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/19 "2009-02-22T03:52:01Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > My regard for the Clintons deteriorated upon reading that they didn’t keep Socks after leaving the White House. Well, at least he was with someone who was probably home every day, unlike the Clinton’s who are traveling so much I’m sure they have NO pets right now. Where better to place him than with someone he’d spent a ton of time with for years? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2009, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784/20 "2009-02-22T04:30:31Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > Well, at least he was with someone who was probably home every day, unlike the Clinton’s who are traveling so much I’m sure they have NO pets right now. Where better to place him than with someone he’d spent a ton of time with for years? They took Buddy, though. (Although dogs do travel better than cats, still.) RIP, Socks. Hell, even the Freepers were saying how sad it was! I shit you not. (And someone mentioned that the Bushs’ cat, India, died recently. Is that true? If so, that sucks too) [Yep, I was right. She was about 19 too.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_(cat)). ☹ Maybe they’re up there trading tales. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-socks/486784.md?page=2)