Call me old fashioned but there are certain things that hit my ears and translate to disrespectful. One of them is referring to a sitting President of the United States by his last name.

Regardless of your politics or personal dislike for the president and/or his policies, it would seem prudent that the current holder of that office would be given the courtesy of the term, “President Bush.”

Both candidates running for president and their surrogates use this last name practice, as does the media. I realize this is a preference I am stating but it feels more civil and respectful to me to use the title.

Criticize the President all you want and use your right of free speech, but offer respect. Reminds me of a story . . .

Back in the mid 80’s a top, local mobster had died and, as the story goes, he died while having sex with a woman other than his wife. I was doing a radio talk show at the time and it was the day of his funeral. People began calling and berating this man for all the known and alleged misdeeds he had done. After a couple of calls, I put a stop to it and said that we would take no more calls regarding the deceased that day. I said that tomorrow we can talk about him all you want, but today we spare his wife, children, grandchildren and grief filled relatives any additional pain. It just seemed respectful.

It doesn’t cost you anything to be civil.

The terms, “the President,” “the Bush Administration,” “the Bush White House” offer respect. “Bush did this and Bush did that” demeans the office of the presidency.

It’s a new practice in recent years, and I think the candidates and the media could set a better example by becoming more old fashioned.

All the best,

John

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