Senator Jim Justice says "Baby Dog" helped humanize lawmakers across the aisle
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Summary
Senator Jim Justice said bringing his dog to the Capitol helped humanize members of Congress and prompted bipartisan interactions; he described members from both parties approaching to pet the dog and take photos.
Senator Jim Justice said a small dog he brings to Washington, whom the host called "baby dog Justice," drew members from both parties to interact, photograph and smile, which he said humanized lawmakers.
"I try to bring baby dog with me about once a week," Justice said. "They came out. They wanted to pet her and get a picture with her and smile and everything. Literally, you know, what she does is 1 thing, she humanizes us." He added that the dog's presence encouraged civility: "We shouldn't be put up on a pedestal and act like we're too hottie toddy for everybody. I don't believe in that. And, and she brought a lot of humor and good stuff that day."
The host noted the anecdote as an example of an unlikely bipartisan unifier in an otherwise divided Washington. The interview did not include further examples of sustained bipartisan agreements linked to the visits by the dog.