A Usage Dispute: 'President-elect' Obama [Kevin D. Williamson]
Greg:
I've been losing this fight, but I remain of the opinion that Barack Obama doesn't become "president-elect" until Dec. 15, when the Electoral College meets to elect him. Until then, he's really President-elect-elect Obama, a title which seems to me to suit him perfectly. Just as Jimmy Carter is (wrongly, dreadfully wrongly) praised as a fellow who was a lamentable president but a great ex-president, it will not be surprising if in 18 months disappointed Obama admirers are saying, in effect, "But he was such a great president-elect!" In the spirit of bipartisanship, I am willing to concede that Barack Obama has been a very fine president-elect-elect, perhaps one of the greats, though of course Rick Brookhiser must be consulted in all such matters.
12/03 02:39 PM
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