# Referring to the President by number (45). Is this a new thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 10, 2017, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930 "2017-07-10T15:36:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/21 "2017-07-11T04:16:54Z")
I thought it was 45\* ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/22 "2017-07-11T04:27:59Z")
No, that’s the complex conjugate of Donald Trump. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/23 "2017-07-11T04:40:26Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > His father said: _I am number 2._ To which the son replied: _Who is number 1?_ And the father responded: _You are number 6._ > > That’s how it all started. “I don’t know, Dad. Senator Jackson has often referred to me as Number 2.” “He’s not talking about the order of presidents, son.” ---
**Author:** ![Edible\_Hat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@Edible\_Hat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edible_Hat)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/24 "2017-07-11T06:14:37Z")
Twitter. Twitter requires an economy of language and 45 is three letters shorter than Trump. Trump is the first president to start his first term with Twitter being a culturally dominant form of communication (and Trump himself is a Twitter personality, of course.) I wouldn’t be surprised if this convention of Twitter has percolated outside into more staid discourses. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/25 "2017-07-12T01:14:59Z")
My recollection is that it started during GWB’s presidency _within the Bush family_ as a jokingly way for them to refer to one another. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/26 "2017-07-12T01:20:48Z")
I saved a copy of the iconic [Newsweek](http://barackobamasuperstore.com/images/newsweek-obama-cover-44.jpg) cover when Obama was elected in 2008. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/27 "2017-07-12T01:34:13Z")
My good friend and cousin, just refer to him as “it”. 45 is way to dignified. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/28 "2017-07-13T02:48:55Z")
But they’re missing out on calling him Dolt 45 ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/29 "2017-07-13T04:57:54Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > I first began to see it used, on other forums, as a way to avoid rewarding a narcissist. Sort of the modern version of referring to FDR only as “that man in the White House.” This is how I understand it. Using 45 keeps his name from trending as highly on Twitter, etc., as he might like so yeah, it is all about poking the narcissist with a stick. > [@Edible\_Hat](#): > > Twitter. Twitter requires an economy of language and 45 is three letters shorter than Trump. Trump is the first president to start his first term with Twitter being a culturally dominant form of communication (and Trump himself is a Twitter personality, of course.) I wouldn’t be surprised if this convention of Twitter has percolated outside into more staid discourses. Sounds like a reasonable explanation for why it has become so popular. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/30 "2017-07-13T05:13:24Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > But they’re missing out on calling him Dolt 45 I’ve seen an internet meme: Dolt 45, day drinking since January 20! ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/31 "2017-07-13T05:30:56Z")
I would’ve been cool with comparing the Clinton42 and Clinton45 administrations. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/32 "2017-07-13T18:55:19Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > True. No one on the Right ever failed to address the former president by his name, Barack _ **HUSSEIN** _ Obama, or one of its many variants, e.g. “Obozo,” “Obummer,” “Obambi,” “Barry Soetoro,” et cetera. We should all aspire to such gentility. Um…Barry Soetoro? First I’ve heard of that one. For that matter, I must have missed Obambi as well. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/33 "2017-07-13T19:33:04Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Um…Barry Soetoro? First I’ve heard of that one. For that matter, I must have missed Obambi as well. 😛 Barry Soetoro gives hits to 21 threads just here at the Dope and 377,000 on Google. For Obambi it’s 7 and 151,000. That’s some impressive missing. ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/34 "2017-07-13T21:27:11Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > His father said: _I am number 2._ To which the son replied: _Who is number 1?_ And the father responded: _You are number 6._ > > That’s how it all started. Damn, you’re old. But then again, so am I. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/35 "2017-07-15T19:16:30Z")
I refer to him as 45 because I refuse to give him the respect of the title PRESIDENT. I’ll call him Trump, Drumpf or 45. That’s it. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/36 "2017-07-15T20:14:29Z")
> [@PapSett](#): > > I refer to him as 45 because I refuse to give him the respect of the title PRESIDENT. I’ll call him Trump, Drumpf or 45. That’s it. Edgy ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/37 "2017-07-15T22:28:10Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Edgy Yes, having principles is like being an edgelord. You’ve totally figured it all out. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/38 "2017-07-15T23:01:40Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Yes, having principles is like being an edgelord. You’ve totally figured it all out. I bet that seemed like quite the burn in your head before you typed it out. ---
**Author:** ![igor\_frankensteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/839c29/32.png) [@igor\_frankensteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/igor_frankensteen)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2017, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930/39 "2017-07-16T16:11:19Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > His father said: _I am number 2._ To which the son replied: _Who is number 1?_ And the father responded: _You are number 6._ > > That’s how it all started. Wow. Not everyone makes an oblique cross reference back to a cult-followed, British, esoteric sequel television series from 1967. As for the whole numbering the President thing, it does seem to be a relatively recent thing, NOT an insult at all, boosted more than anything else by the urge of commentators to look neato-keen, while referring to the two Bushes. I’d suggest that the primary reason for it, IS the “I want to seem clever while I talk about the Presidents” thing. It’s the main reasons for a LOT of popular slang, including the insult stuff. People who say things like “Obozo” or “Shrub” and so on, never do it because they think that by insulting someone casually, that their opinions will be taken more seriously. They aren’t THAT idiotic. They do it as a way to signal the other prejudiced people in the audience that they are also really cool guys. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/referring-to-the-president-by-number-45-is-this-a-new-thing/790930.md?page=1)