mussing one happy labrador behind the ear and intoning , good boy , good boy softly as the mutt puffed and panted and kicked up a hind leg , sweeney couldnt help his thoughts turning to all those daily intelligence briefings , all those uniformed officers looking ill-at-ease on the comfy white house couches as they informed their commander-in-chief , in clear but respectful language , of the big problem , as they saw it .