Hey, Chris Matthews: It is President Obama, for you

[question everything]

or the President, or Obama. What's with this "Barack" thing? What, is he a buddy of yours? Just because you felt that "something crawled up your leg" does not mean that you should display a disrespect for him.

(Was on Leno).

[Clio the Leo]

1. Joe Biden calls him Barack....

.... I call him Barack .... personally I prefer "Barack" WAY more than "Obama" which seems a bit too impersonal.

I have NEVER nor will I EVER refer to BUSH as "George."

[question everything]

2. Of course Obama is impersonal

Have you met him? Does he know you? If not, why should there be any personal referring? Which is why Biden, and, during the debates, at least, Hillary Clinton referred to him as Barack. They know him, they talk to him.

We have discussed here about Hillary and because we already had one President Clinton, her campaign, and we, went with Hillary, but this really is the exception.

[Clio the Leo]

6. lol well then you might want to inform "Obama" that he has a title...

... so he can start using it and stop being so darned informal throwing his first name all over the place confusing folks ;) ....

there's this...
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/1536729,042109obamaletter2.fullimage

or....




And if having met the man entitles someone to then refer to him as "Barack"....



night night

[DFW]

11. I've met him a couple of times

I still called him Senator (he was at the time), even when he called me by my first name.

[DFW]

10. They were equals for years in the Senate

After four years on a first name basis, I would imagine it's a habit by now. If they're
friends, then they stay that way. It is not an invitation for pompous commentators to
follow suit.

[WinkyDink]

25. VICE-PRESIDENT Biden happens to be a tad closer, physically and professionally, than Matthews.

[LittleBlue]

3. It's a USA thing to call everyone by their first name. No biggie.

After all the campaigning, and watching his conferences, and following him, I feel like he's an acquaintance or something.

[WinkyDink]

26. Really? Where was "George" for 8 years?

[Occam Bandage]

4. Americans like to consider themselves as social equals to their leaders.

[JeffR]

5. For the last eight years

I've considered myself their social better.
;-)

[Norrin Radd]

7. I prefer to consider them "representatives," not "leaders,"

but YMMV. ;-)

[SamCooke]

8. He said the press conference was boring?

What was he watching? I usually hate these things, but Obama is very engaging during them.

[Webster Green]

9. Tweety is a useless fucking idiot.

Obama is boring, but Tweety got a woodie every time he mentioned bush-hitler, the war-chimp?

Whatever, Tweety! :wtf:

[Captain Hilts]

15. The press conferences are a tremendous relief. nt

[Hippo_Tron]

12. There's not wrong with referring to the Presidential colloquially when he isn't in the room

When you are addressing him it is proper to say "Mr. President", however.

[Captain Hilts]

13. I think it's weird when people here refer to him as 'Barack'.

It shows how personally people take things here.

[Captain Hilts]

14. Matthews now admits to rooting for Obama.

[Orsino]

16. Matthews trivializes everything he touches.

I don't demand lock-step devotion from him, but a little consistency in his judgment--even a very little--would let me take him seriously.

But our pundit class bows only to the greatest money and power, and President Obama doesn't represent those things.

[Blue_Roses]

17. Have you ever noticed how Chris compares everything to a movie or

movie character? :wtf: I mean, good for him, but maybe he needs to do movie reviews instead of politics.

[question everything]

21. To tell the truth, I rarely watch him

I tried, on occasions, when I thought he may have an interesting guest, but he asks a question and immediately provides the reply, while shouting his guest(s) down. Once, only once, I would like to hear of a guest getting up, unbuttoning the microphone saying; you obviously are not interested in what I have to say - and walk out.

[phleshdef]

18. President Obama doesn't come off as the kind of guy who would care.

[question everything]

22. I am not sure. Either way, it shows respect for him

or lack of, regardless of how he feels.

I think that when Jimmy Carter chose to be addressed as such, he lost a lot of respect.

On the other hand, look at Bill Clinton, who, on official occasions, referred to himself as William Jefferson Clinton. It is a respect for the office, really. And while Bush demeaned the office, I am sure that Obama would like to restore it as he is doing restoring a respect for our country.

[ClarkUSA]

19. Pres. Obama signed his emails "Barack" even after his inauguration, so why is it "disrespect"?

He also signs his replies to citizens' letters "Barack" right now, so what's the big deal?

[question everything]

23. Coming from him is one thing

commenting by others is entirely different.

[WinkyDink]

27. One's self-referring is not the point.

[Redbear]

20. I think it's a rehtorical device he developed

After calling him Osama a few times, he switched to the first name.

[question everything]

24. That's horrible! Did he, really? (nt)