General Discussion

Bucky

(55,334 posts)

19. Some politicians invite familiarity. Barack is such a formal sounding name. I get the impulse.

Reply to UnrepentantLiberal (Original post)

Tue Jan 22, 2013, 08:43 AM

Jan 2013

We don't insist on William Clinton. If I posted about James Carter, I don't know if half of DU would even get who I'm referring to.

I know some RW wackjobs call the president "Barry" as an intentional disrespect. I don't use that familiarity out of sensitivity to this issue. But if a poster on DU says Barry as a way of implying an intimacy, as a way of saying "finally, a president I can respect" and a guy who gets me... I don't knee jerk assume that poster is a freeper troll trying to rile me up. That would be an act of egomania and slapping that poster down for a breech of local etiquette stinks of McCarthyism.

DU is a narrow little tunnel in the world. I can't fault someone for not getting our subculture just right off the bat. I loathe it when DUers go on little witch hunts because some noob doesn't say things just the right way for us. That's just so damnably unliberal.

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Is it ever OK to refer to the President as Barry or Barack? [View all] UnrepentantLiberal Jan 2013 OP

no Skittles Jan 2013 #1

Barry only if you are a childhood friend. Barack only if you are close friend or family. Obummer... Tom Ripley Jan 2013 #2

Years ago he asked his family not to call him Barry onenote Jan 2013 #22

If you have a PERSONAL relationship (ex: childhood friend) and are having IdaBriggs Jan 2013 #3

What does his sister call him? mykpart Jan 2013 #4

Referring to the president as "Barry" is usually a sign of disrespect. Behind the Aegis Jan 2013 #5

EDITED: Exactly. It OFTEN IS a dog whistle. Heidi Jan 2013 #11

There is no greater supporter of the President than I am, among my peers louis c Jan 2013 #13

I appreciate your support for unions, your ward, and our president. However, Heidi Jan 2013 #14

Thanks louis c Jan 2013 #17

And yet there was a poster today who supported the president and got railed for saying Barry Bucky Jan 2013 #20

WELL said. narnian60 Jan 2013 #27

2nd that. IADEMO2004 Jan 2013 #37

I wasn't one of the DUers who harassed that member. Heidi Jan 2013 #38

I did just that and he doesn't. UnrepentantLiberal Jan 2013 #39

I searched, too. He's a big Feingold fan. Heidi Jan 2013 #45

I can attest to that Mdterp01 Jan 2013 #54

it's ok to disrespect the president Enrique Jan 2013 #28

And it's okay to voice dislike for disrespect of the president Lisa D Jan 2013 #47

And it's okay to dissent from voicing dislike for disrespect of the president Bucky Jan 2013 #60

I know! Lisa D Jan 2013 #72

No one said it wasn't. Behind the Aegis Jan 2013 #64

I just met an old friend and Obama admirer in Hawai'i who called him "Barry" KamaAina Jan 2013 #62

Which is why I used the qualifier "usually." Behind the Aegis Jan 2013 #63

Exactly. No different than "George" or "Shrub" Xithras Jan 2013 #67

anyone who won't call him by the name he's been given and asked people to call him is being an ass CreekDog Jan 2013 #6

Barry is too familiar for most people... AngryOldDem Jan 2013 #7

whenever anyone calls him that, it is usually condescending smear(like when Maureen Dowd does it) graham4anything Jan 2013 #8

How DARE you call him Jimmy. His name is James. Bucky Jan 2013 #23

President Carter called himself Jimmy when inaugurated. graham4anything Jan 2013 #32

President Obama is customary, or even better, quinnox Jan 2013 #9

Oh for pete's sake, he is a president, not a king or emperor. MadHound Jan 2013 #10

Barack is fine. Barry is not his "self admitted" nickname onenote Jan 2013 #24

Do we use the same name all the time, or only while we're diverting our eyes? OneTenthofOnePercent Jan 2013 #12

No. And An Additional "Fuck You" To Maureen Dowd For Recently Doing So. (nt) Paladin Jan 2013 #15

Wow, this is bizarre. Sheldon Cooper Jan 2013 #16

No, no "only" used by wing nuts. Bucky Jan 2013 #25

Gotta disagree, Bucky. Sheldon Cooper Jan 2013 #50

Is it OK to refer to Secretary Clinton as HIllary? ananda Jan 2013 #18

Some politicians invite familiarity. Barack is such a formal sounding name. I get the impulse. Bucky Jan 2013 #19

I usually call a president by their last name when speaking. When writing, I use President a lot. nt Comrade_McKenzie Jan 2013 #21

I've only referred to a President by his last name since Nixon, Art_from_Ark Jan 2013 #26

yes, and here are some other things that are OK Enrique Jan 2013 #29

Barry is not a King or Emperor or High Holy Man, people...I can call him Barry alcibiades_mystery Jan 2013 #30

in a country with a first amendment that ensures free speech. datasuspect Jan 2013 #31

"Barry" is okay only if the pizza guy is at the door and you need change for a tip. zonkers Jan 2013 #33

"Barry" is the name the wingnuts used in a mocking and derisive manner. MADem Jan 2013 #34

Barry is not a dog-whistle Enrique Jan 2013 #43

Yeah, it is. It's all part of the "He's not American" meme. MADem Jan 2013 #46

Get Real. It Most Certainly IS A Dog Whistle, And An Obvious One, At That. (nt) Paladin Jan 2013 #57

Maybe if... 99Forever Jan 2013 #35

Well it's the internet...rules and etiquette be damned! cherish44 Jan 2013 #36

If you greet him in person, you say "Mr. President" or "Mr. Obama" DinahMoeHum Jan 2013 #40

meh, I bet that is not the case quinnox Jan 2013 #41

Not to his face Orangepeel Jan 2013 #42

also, it's ok to call Bill Clinton "Klintoon" Enrique Jan 2013 #44

The right to call the president names Generic Other Jan 2013 #48

yup quinnox Jan 2013 #49

We all call the President by his last name. Think Bush, Raygun, Clinton are commonly used. Auntie Bush Jan 2013 #51

"Congress shall make no law..abridging the freedom of speech.." Even when it concerns politicians. Tierra_y_Libertad Jan 2013 #52

No one is restricting anyone's free speech. UnrepentantLiberal Jan 2013 #55

Disrespect? In what sense? Tierra_y_Libertad Jan 2013 #61

No, but we can call him by his wrestling alter ego. Arkana Jan 2013 #53

I wish that was my name!!!!! Iggo Jan 2013 #59

I will call my president what I want to call him bigwillq Jan 2013 #56

It depends on what you mean by "OK" -- but "barry" is almost always used derisively/dismissively fishwax Jan 2013 #58

On second reference, the NYTimes calls him "Mr. Obama." Sounds okay to me. n/t pnwmom Jan 2013 #65

His friends that grew up with him and called him Barry Rex Jan 2013 #66

Why don't you ask him yourself. Fearless Jan 2013 #68

Hmm...I think Barack is fine, but "Obama" just sounds more natural because that's how he's known NYC Liberal Jan 2013 #69

Barry is commonly used as a pejorative when referring to the president. Lone_Star_Dem Jan 2013 #70

IMHO - Barack Obama, President Obama or Mr. Obama. TeamPooka Jan 2013 #71