# Socks Clinton **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 31, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718 "2006-03-31T16:58:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DuhCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/1 "2006-03-31T16:58:28Z")
Is Socks Clinton still alive? What has he been up to? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/2 "2006-03-31T17:41:41Z")
Well, his [Wikipedia entry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socks_%28cat%29) lists no date of death, so i assume he’s still alive, although it seems like he may not be with the Clintons any longer: > [@](#): > > He eventually lost the position of principal Clinton pet in 1995 when the Clintons acquired Buddy, a Labrador Retriever. At this point some fans of Socks joked that Socks had been “voted out of office” of White House pet in favor of the more traditional dog. Socks found Buddy’s intrusion intolerable; according to Hillary Rodham Clinton, Socks “despised Buddy from first sight, instantly and forever” and Bill Clinton said that “I did better with the Palestinians and the Israelis… than I’ve done with Socks and Buddy”. When the Clintons left the White House in 2001 they took Buddy to their new home, but left Socks under the care of Bill Clinton’s secretary, Betty Currie. Now, Buddy was hit by a car and killed in 2002, and it’s not clear whether Socks returned to the household at that time. If Socks is still alive, he’ll be at least 15 this year. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/3 "2006-03-31T18:49:56Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > If Socks is still alive, he’ll be at least 15 this year. …making it not impossible that he still be alive: my cat just turned 18. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/4 "2006-03-31T19:08:10Z")
Still alive as of 2002. [http://www.clintonfoundation.org/120102-nr-cf-pc-gn-usa-pr-clinton-family-cat-socks-visits-little-rock.htm](http://www.clintonfoundation.org/120102-nr-cf-pc-gn-usa-pr-clinton-family-cat-socks-visits-little-rock.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/5 "2006-03-31T19:20:13Z")
Still alive, and living with Betty Currie, as of [October 12, 2005](http://www.capflyer.com/issues/4_42/news/1505-1.html) (includes photo). ---
**Author:** ![DuhCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/6 "2006-03-31T20:48:59Z")
Regarding Buddy Clinton, was the person driving the car that killed him punished? Technically, he assassinated a member of the First family. ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/7 "2006-03-31T20:57:38Z")
> [@DuhCow](#): > > Regarding Buddy Clinton, was the person driving the car that killed him punished? Technically, he assassinated a member of the First family. Obviously, the Secret Service wasn’t doing their job. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/8 "2006-03-31T21:10:42Z")
I have a “Socks, first cat” t-shirt from those days. Whoever designed the shirt thought it would be cute to have a paw overlapping his name, so it appears to say “Sucks.” So, I never wore the shirt. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/9 "2006-03-31T21:11:49Z")
Don’t know about Socks, but tragically, [Humphrey](http://www.moggies.co.uk/html/humphrey.html), the former Prime Ministerial cat, died last week aged 18. A harbinger of things to come, he was fired shortly after the arrival of Blair into Downing Street in 1997. His was the first of a series of high-profile civil service posts dramatically slashed by the incoming regime. The departing opposition darkly accused the Blairs of murder, [but](http://www.hindu.com/yw/2006/03/31/stories/2006033100620300.htm): > [@](#): > > He was photographed, hostage-like, with copies of the day’s newspapers to show the pictures were fresh. It was not the only time Humphrey had been embroiled in scandal. In 1994 the government had to issue an official denial after the cat was accused of killing a family of robins. Rumours of mouse-related kickbacks and “Whiskas for peerages” remain just rumours. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/10 "2006-03-31T21:46:42Z")
> [@](#): > > [Humphrey the cat] had wandered into No. 10 Downing Street Rather like John Major, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/11 "2006-03-31T22:08:57Z")
We did this same thread just about a [month ago](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=50927&highlight=Socks). I wonder what’s sparking the current surge of interest in the fate of Socks. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2006, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/12 "2006-04-01T00:04:35Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > Rather like John Major, actually. Oh, very good! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2006, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/13 "2006-04-01T00:19:42Z")
There actually is **still** a ‘first cat’, [India “Willie” Bush…](http://www.presidentialpetmuseum.com/Pets/India.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2006, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/14 "2006-04-01T01:57:49Z")
> [@Hail Ants](#): > > There actually is **still** a ‘first cat’, [India “Willie” Bush…](http://www.presidentialpetmuseum.com/Pets/India.htm) Oh no! Now I have found something to _like_ about W! Anybody who’s got a pretty kitty like that can’t be _all_ bad… _head explodes from cognitive dissonance_ ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2006, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/15 "2006-04-01T02:12:55Z")
…and I have to say I simply _adore_ [Miss Beazley.](http://www.presidentialpetmuseum.com/Pets/Beazley.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2006, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/16 "2006-04-01T02:41:14Z")
> [@Hail Ants](#): > > [India “Willie” Bush…](http://www.presidentialpetmuseum.com/Pets/India.htm) Cat’s got a stubby tail. I don’t trust him. ---
**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:** [April 1, 2006, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/17 "2006-04-01T03:14:40Z")
India looks JUST like my Piper Grace. And Piper Grace also likes to hide from us. ---
**Author:** ![DuhCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/18 "2006-08-16T17:08:16Z")
i’d like to know why this cat gets no publicity whatsoever. no one mentions india, but we always hear about barney and miss beazley. i feel the white house press corps isn’t anti-cat, because socks got some coverage, but it seems strange that this cat is bopping around the white house almost completely unnoticed; ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/19 "2006-08-16T17:17:29Z")
[QUOTE=DuhCow] i’d like to know why this cat gets no publicity whatsoever. no one mentions india, but we always hear about barney and miss beazley. i feel the white house press corps isn’t anti-cat, because socks got some coverage, but it seems strange that this cat is bopping around the white house almost completely unnoticed; [/QUOTE] That’s because its’ an animagus spy for Al Queda. How do you think it got that stubby tail? Mine field accident. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718/20 "2008-12-17T00:31:25Z")
> [@DuhCow](#): > > Is Socks Clinton still alive? What has he been up to? **Update:** [President Clinton’s cat Socks losing cancer battle](http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2008/12/15/2008-12-15_president_clintons_cat_socks_losing_canc.html) > [@](#): > > There is sad news to report in the world of presidential pets – the Clinton family’s first feline, Socks, is reportedly suffering from terminal cancer. > > “His days are numbered,” presidential historian Barry Landau told the U.S. News & World Report blog “Washington Whispers.” > > Landau is a friend of Socks’ caretaker Bettie Currie, who served as President Bill Clinton’s private secretary during his eight years in office and took the cat after the Clintons left the White House. > > Socks, 19, has kept a busy public schedule since leaving Washington, D.C., for suburban life in Hollywood, Md. He appears regularly at animal charity events and draws big crowds. > > But the famous kitty’s health has been deteriorating this year… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socks-clinton/350718.md?page=2)