Toby the Puppy!

Deval Patrick's got a cute new puppy. Don't mess with that, folks, it is political gold. (It's not his first. The family has one, and had a second that died last year.)

The AP immediately placed this in the context of the recent zoo episode. C'mon, would a guy with a cute black lab pup euthanize giraffes? I think not.

The new dog is named Toby. So, who is he named for? Toby Keith? Toby from West Wing? Toby from The Office?

One colleague here suggests Toby Vail of Bikini Kill, famed Kurt Cobain ex. I would buy that if I thought Deval Patrick thinks like a typical Phoenix writer.

I'm thinking Toby Tyler, the Disney kid who runs away to join the circus. A little Deval escapism fantasy.

But the consensus choice is Toby Young, author of "How To Lose Friends And Alienate People," a memoir about his failed attempt to achieve success in a cliquish world of self-important, superficial, backstabbers who can't stand him.

Because we figure Deval likes Top Chef, which Toby Young is now a judge on. That's why we think Deval picked the name.  Because of Top Chef.