They were the typical American family on a typical American road trip—Dad behind the wheel, Mom in the passenger seat, their five adorable kids piled in the back. And, of course, their beloved dog strapped to the roof.

Wait . . . what?

Now for the first time, here is the completely true—and only mildly embellished— shaggy-dog story of Seamus Romney, the famously fetching Irish setter whose master, future presidential candidate Mitt Romney, plopped him atop the family station wagon for that infamous 1983 car trip. From the majesty of Mount Rushmore to the fabulousness of San Francisco, from the sacred temple of Salt Lake City to the hallowed halls of Washington, D.C., here at last is Seamus’s rooftop account of that headline-grabbing journey . . . unleashed.

Doggedly chronicled by satirists Bruce Kluger and David Slavin (NPR’s All Things Considered), and cleverly illustrated by Colleen Clapp (The Chris Matthews Show, NBC News), this American tale is more than just the story of a dog on a hot tin roof. It is the inside (well . . . overhead) look at the Man Who Would Be President and the wild ride that’s sweeping—and bewildering—the nation.

Bruce Kluger and David Slavin began writing and performing satire for National Public Radio’s All Things Considered in 2002. Their cultural and political commentary has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, and other newspapers in the Los Angeles Times–Washington Post News Service. Their work has also been featured on the Huffington Post, where they are recurring bloggers, and Salon.com. Bruce and David live one block from each other in New York City. Both are married, and both have two daughters. Visit RomneyDogontheRoof.com
Colleen Clapp has created artwork for, among others, the Smithsonian, NBC News, ABC News, The Chris Matthews Show, and the Philadelphia Zoo. Her commissions have included public murals, magazine and book illustrations, and portraits and paintings in a variety of media. She has also exhibited her oil paintings in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area. Colleen lives in Frederick, Maryland, with her husband. The couple has two daughters.