# Why is Palin calling herself "Governor Palin"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 9, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-palin-calling-herself-governor-palin/563560 "2010-12-09T18:53:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Recliner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e57/32.png) [@Recliner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recliner)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-palin-calling-herself-governor-palin/563560/41 "2010-12-15T12:19:40Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > She didn’t call herself anything. Her spokesman did the talking. That aside, he was following protocol. In general, you call elected officials by the highest title they have attained (assuming they don’t hold another position at the present time). So you can find countless examples current references to Bill Clinton as “President Clinton,” for example. True, but being President is different than being Governor. I’ve noticed this, myself, and politics/feelings-about-Palin aside – I do feel that this courtesy is being used far more frequently with her than with other former Governors. No politics, just my impression. -Rec ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-palin-calling-herself-governor-palin/563560/42 "2010-12-15T15:16:37Z")
Howard Dean, Michael Dukakis, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter were routinely addressed as “governor” during their presidential bids. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-palin-calling-herself-governor-palin/563560/43 "2010-12-15T15:32:04Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > …I prefer “Mr.” or “Ms.” for everyone… who has formerly held public office. This gets my vote. Harry Truman, when he left the White House, said he looked forward to just being plain ol’ “Mr. Truman” again. In a democracy, we don’t have hereditary titles, and IMHO if you’re not actually in office, you shouldn’t keep using the title. Joe Kennedy was referred to as “the Ambassador” for decades after leaving his post in London, for chrissakes. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-palin-calling-herself-governor-palin/563560/44 "2010-12-15T16:03:32Z")
Does this mean people will have to call me Form Captain from now on? I was elected to this position at school so I think its only fair. Accompanied by a bow or a curtsey of course. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-palin-calling-herself-governor-palin/563560/45 "2010-12-15T20:08:48Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Robert Hickey, a man who wrote a book on protocol FWIW Funny you should mention Mr. Hickey. I hadn’t gotten an answer on the question I posed above on whether Nixon or other office-holders who had been impeached or resigned in disgrace should still be called “Honorable.” So I e-mailed him. Here’s his response: > [@](#): > > It’s not an exception. If an official leaves office in disgrace … Nixon, Agnew, Elliot Spitzer … anyone convicted … anyone who does not leave by their own choice… he or she is not longer correctly addressed as “The Honorable”. > Of course … there is no protocol police enforcing it, but it is part of the tradition. > Sincerely, > Robert Thanks of course to Robert Hickey for that answer, and ignorance fought on that. ---
**Author:** ![HawksPath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f07891/32.png) [@HawksPath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HawksPath)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-palin-calling-herself-governor-palin/563560/46 "2010-12-15T23:31:59Z")
My understanding from reading Miss Manners is that it is never improper to use the appropraite one of these: Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss. This is the case for sitting and ex-presidents, other office holders, medical doctors, and lawyers. The one possible exception is a judge while presiding in court. Optionally, someone can refer to another by there job title or degree related honorific even after they are retired or out of office. Pres and VP are different because we only have one of each in the country at a time. If instead of Mr. Clinton you want to use honorific you would properly say former President Clinton. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-palin-calling-herself-governor-palin/563560.md?page=2)