SURVEY RESULTS: What do you call this President of the United States?

President Obama 70%

Obama                16%

Barack Obama        9%

Commander-In-Chief       1%

I was outraged last week when it was reported that a couple big shots called President Barack Obama ‘tar-baby’ and ‘your boy’ on successive days.

Obviously, those were terms of overt disrespect for our President, which led me to wonder what the rest of us call him.

The survey results are almost amusing because most people don’t go around saying President Obama despite what the results say.

Most people in the press and in casual conversation just say Obama. And why not? It’s an uncommon name and there’s no mistake about who you’re talking about. More importantly, saying Obama is not disrespectful.

Of course, in your head you’re implying President Obama, but check yourself from now on as you’ll probably find yourself just saying Obama.

In my life time of Presidents most of them have been called by their last name without any issue. 

Saying Kennedy, Nixon, Carter, and Reagan leaves no question as to who you are referring to. 

Saying Bush is a little tricky since there have been two of them. Saying George W. seemed appropriate for the second Bush.

I don’t think anyone who says Clinton ever confused Bill Clinton with George Clinton.

The only President that may have required a first name was Lyndon B. Johnson. By just saying Johnson in a black community would certainly make people wonder who you were talking about. 

In conclusion, saying President Obama shows the ultimate respect for the man and his position, but there’s nothing wrong with saying Barack or Obama or Barack Obama.

Just don’t call him boy anymore. Please.