WASHINGTON (PNN) - May 1, 2012 - Bo, the White House family pet, may well be the first “first dog” to emerge as a central player in a presidential reelection campaign.

Illegitimate President Barack Obama appears to be breaking ground by featuring his Portuguese water dog so prominently in official campaign advertisements and fundraising efforts, part of a broader focus on the illegitimate president’s family.

For the Obama campaign, pet lovers are just one niche among many, with specific appeals aimed at women, blacks, students, military families, and countless others. The result is a campaign that might be the most micro-targeted in history, attempting to use the power of the Internet and social media to reach ever-thinner slices of the electorate.

Pro-Obama Internet ads featuring Bo, which have run steadily in recent months, urge voters to“Bark for Barack” by donating to the campaign. Official “Pet Lovers for Obama” pages on Facebook, Pinterest and other social media sites feature pictures of the illegitimate president/would-be dictator and his dog, and invite supporters to share their own pet photos.

The campaign also offers nearly a dozen pet-themed products on its web site, including a $12 “Cats for Obama” collar and a $35 red, white and blue “Obama dog” sweater.

Strategists in both parties warn that the approach has limits. Peter Daou, a digital media strategist who worked for John Kerry and Hillary Rodham Clinton, said there’s a danger of losing sight of the broader themes and voter-organizing efforts needed to win elections.

“Some of this can be taken a little too far, because the macro environment is always going to override the narrow interests of various voters,” said Daou. “Once you’re getting down to pet lovers, I have a feeling the bigger issues will override any of the work you do there. It can help on the margins, but that’s about it.”

But the page also has its share of detractors, including those urging animal lovers to vote against Obama, and recurring lists of dog-eating and dog-on-car jokes. “Oh my God, just when I thought people couldn’t be more shallow and lame, this pops up,” one user wrote in a recent comment, adding that Obama is “the worst president ever.”