When Did President Bush become...

[soonercody]

"Mr. Bush?" Maybe I don't know my journalism etiquette but shouldn't he always be called by his title? Ex-presidents, military troops, even foreign leaders with riduculously long sounding names like "supreme and sovereign dictator, chancellor and cleric-in-residence Bubba Joe" are identified by their titles.

Funny answers welcome but if there is a real assplanation I'd like to hear it. I'm not a W fan nor do I believe in the myth of the "liberal media" so save your conspiracy theories for something more sinister than this.

Somehow it chaffs me to listen to the news about foreign leaders and business moguls when they are referred to by title and then "Mr. Bush makes a Labor Day speech...".

Am I missing something here?

[leavingthezoo]

clearly you limited responses when you demanded no conspiracy theories from the "anti-bush" and from the "liberal media is the debil" camps. :D

showing respect is a rare gesture anymore across the board. i don't get it either.

[Frozen Sooner]

"Mr. Bush?" Maybe I don't know my journalism etiquette but shouldn't he always be called by his title? Ex-presidents, military troops, even foreign leaders with riduculously long sounding names like "supreme and sovereign dictator, chancellor and cleric-in-residence Bubba Joe" are identified by their titles.

Funny answers welcome but if there is a real assplanation I'd like to hear it. I'm not a W fan nor do I believe in the myth of the "liberal media" so save your conspiracy theories for something more sinister than this.

Somehow it chaffs me to listen to the news about foreign leaders and business moguls when they are referred to by title and then "Mr. Bush makes a Labor Day speech...".

Am I missing something here?

Either "Mr." or "President" is the correct mode of address for a President. This precedent was laid down by George Washington, who famously said he wished no title other than "Mister."

edit: The news media referred to President Clinton as "Mr. Clinton" all the time, by the way. The typical was this is done is to refer to the president as "President Bush" at the very beginning then "Mr. Bush" or "Bush" for the rest of the story so that there's no confusion as to which Mr. Bush is being discussed.

[Hatfield]

it does sound strange when you hear it, but like others said it isn't out of the ordinary.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

clearly you limited responses when you demanded no conspiracy theories from the "anti-bush" and from the "liberal media is the debil" camps. :D

showing respect is a rare gesture anymore across the board. i don't get it either.It just strangely started happening in 2000.

[soonerscuba]

It just strangely started happening in 2000.

Quite a selective memory you got there. This is America for God's sake, I can call him Mayor McCheese if I want. But you are right, I never here anybody refer to him as President Bush. Ever. Not even once. At some point Republicans that have control the White House and Congress for the last 6 and 4 years respectively are going to have to start getting introspective as to why their ideas with their implementation have turned out less than stellar, and stop playing the victim without blaming Clinton or Hollywood, either of which have jack**** to do with our problems.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Quite a selective memory you got there. This is America for God's sake, I can call him Mayor McCheese if I want. But you are right, I never here anybody refer to him as President Bush. Ever. Not even once. At some point Republicans that have control the White House and Congress for the last 6 and 4 years respectively are going to have to start getting introspective as to why their ideas with their implementation have turned out less than stellar, and stop playing the victim without blaming Clinton or Hollywood, either of which have jack**** to do with our problems.Seems to me this thread is about what the media calls our President.

[Frozen Sooner]

It just strangely started happening in 2000.

Bull****.

Perhaps that's when you started noticing it, but it's beein going on for decades.

[soonerscuba]

Slick Willie= Acceptable
Mr. Bush= Why don't you show respect for the office?!?

Makes sense to me.

[soonercody]

I guess I just started noticing it. Thanks to Froz' for 'splainin' it to me. Feel free to hijack the rest of this thread and use it for your own purposes.

[John Kochtoston]

AP style would be to call him "President Bush" on first reference, and just "Bush" thereafter (unless another word than "Bush" is neded for clarification, like if a story was being done about his relationship with his Dad or brother). The NY Times, Dallas Morning News and a few others use Mr./Mrs./Ms./Miss on second and future reference, as in:
"President Bush announced today that Oct. 7, 2006 will be known as national Texas Sucks day. This surprised many White house observers, as Mr. Bush long has had a strong and strange affinity for the state of Texas."

BTW, I heard plenty of Clinton-haters refer to him as Mr. Clinton, deliberately avoiding the honorific of "President." Personally, I didn't think it appropriate then, and I don't find it appropriate now. As has been mentioned previously, though, there is no law against calling the sitting President pretty much anything you want to.

[rogcoley]

2112

[StoopTroup]

I still prefer Dubya.

[walkoffsooner]

he was mister at the skull and bones society

[Hatfield]

It just strangely started happening in 2000.

LIAR!!!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/melvin26/carol_kane_billy_crystal_the_princess_bride_001.jp g

[picasso]

I don't know about print media but the last few years is the first time I recall hearing it on the tellie. I may be wrong but it sounds odd to me too.
And I recall hearing President Clinton more than Mr. Clinton. But I could really care less.

[StoopTroup]

I heard Mrs Clinton more than President or Mr.

[SicEmBaylor]

The British press routinely refers to the President (whoever it may be) as Mr.; however, I think that has more to do with the fact that they usually call the Prime Minister "Mr." (or in Lady Thatcher's case Mrs.)

Here, it should always be Mr. President no matter who it is, what the occassion is, or if they're an ex-President. I don't care if you've known the guy 30 years and he's the Godfather of your children and just the two of you are having an after-hour drink alone...it's Mr. President.

[BeetDigger]

I heard Hillary RODHAM Clinton more than President or Mr.

I think this is what you meant.