ABC's Political Radar has a data point, but misses the interpretation:

Romney Attacks Go to the Dogs
ABC News' John Berman Reports:

Mitt Romney's latest weapon in his barrage of jabs at Mike Huckabee? A dog named Spike.

A dog named Spike that likes to write letters. It is a piece of direct mail sent to Iowa voters, purportedly from Spike that begins, "Dear Iowa Republicans..."

It goes on to say, "You might have read about how Mike Huckabee raised taxes even more than Bill Clinton..."

Spike is apparently referring to the growing litany of mailings and "contrast" television ads where Mitt Romney is trying to paint Mike Huckabee as a liberal.

Spike continues: "What makes me barking mad? Mike Huckabee raised taxes on dog groomers! He went too far when he taxed the people who make me beautiful."

It is signed, "Bow Wow, Spike." It seems to be a genuine attempt at light-hearted humor on the campaign trail.

"Genuine," "light-hearted," and "humor"?

From Willard Mitt Romney?

John, what have you been smoking? That's just so implausible there has to be a better reason:

Now, to be fair_{MR SUBMLIMINAL Awwww! Why?} John does mention the Romney dog incident:

Of course, the Romneys have their own dog issues, admitting to the Boston Globe that they once had their dog in a crate tied to the roof of their station wagon while driving to a family vacation. Bow Wow.

Except John also censors the key fact in the story: That Romney left Seamus up there on the roof so long that a "brown liquid" started dripping down the back window of the car!

And John also misses the reason Romney's doing this: the subtle dig that Romney's making here--that Mike Huckabee's son David hanged a dog, slit its throat, and stoned it to death* while a Boy Scout, according to a letter on file with the Arkansas State Police.

That's why Willard's linking Huckabee to dogs in this "light-hearted" letter. Watch for a lot more talk about dogs in the days to come.

John, try to be a beat ahead. Not a beat behind. Eh?

NOTE Bud, from Legal, insists I add the word "alleged" here.

NOTE The list of known Republican animal abusers is here. Feel free to pass along any tips!