# The title "Mr. President"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-title-mr-president/172298>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 1, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-title-mr-president/172298 "2003-05-01T03:11:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2003, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-title-mr-president/172298/21 "2003-05-03T13:51:24Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by twickster \*  
> \*\*Re: referring to Dubya as “Mr. Bush” – there’s a difference between talking _to_ him, when you’d address him as “Mr. President,” and talking _about_ him, as in a news report, when you’d call him “President Bush,” “the President,” or “Mr. Bush.” \*\*

I always thought it was polite to call him “President Bush” when talking about him in a formal situation. Of course, I just call him “Bush” when talking about him in a general sense, like discussing policy.

I thought it was rude when Michael Moore said, “We are against this war, Mr. Bush.” He should have said, “President Bush” or “Mr. Bush”.

I also thought it was rude when President Clinton called President Bush, Sr. “Mr. Bush” during their debate, when Bush was still President.

No, I’m not a right-wing loony. Those are just the first two instances that came to mind.

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