Politicians and dog pee

Politicians and dog pee

I walk my dog Captain Spaulding in the park most days. The park is enclosed by a large stone wall on 38 hectares of forest surrounding a medieval castle and is a very dog friendly place, allowing dogs to run free. Most dogs give each other a sniff and then either go about their business or play together for a few minutes before moving on. On rare occasions they growl at each other but I have never seen a fight. There is one habit that is not quite playing and not quite fighting, male dominance type dance. A dog, usually the smallest, will raise his hind leg and pee on a bush. He will be followed by the next biggest dog that will go through the same exercise, followed by each of the other male dogs paying any attention to the ritual. Sometimes one of the early peers will double back for a shot at that final pee. The ritual is fascinating and I am sure means something, but I am never quite sure what. The dogs usually go about their business afterwards, without much of a thought.
I notice on the television talking heads news shows, a very familiar ritual occurs. Someone (usually a Senator or Congressman) starts a dialogue about the story of the week and sure enough, he is followed by a gang that goes about and soils the same topic over and over again. Of course one must exchange opening a mouth with lifting a leg and the bush for the topic of the week (with the exception of the previous administration of course) but the activity bears enormous similarities.
I don’t really know what the talking heads go off and do afterwards.