Southwest Corner

 

 

 

(July 07, 2008)

 

I really, really don't like the phrase "presumptive presidential nominee." It's awkward, wordy and unecessary. There is a better description for Senators Barack Obama and John McCain. They are presidential candidates.

Presumptive presidential nominee implies a degree of uncertainty that is unwarranted. The word candidate befits a person who is running for elective office but has neither been nominated nor elected. A single word that nicely fits all circumstances.

Democrat Obama and Republican McCain will still be presidential candidates even after they are nominated by their respective parties at the national political conventions later this summer. The other major party presidential aspirants/contenders/hopefuls have either suspended or ended their campaigns. They no longer are candidates for the Oval Office. Yes, barring some unexpected occurrence, Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain will be nominated to carry the banner of the Democratic and Republican parties respectively this fall. However, even then they will remain presidential candidates.

A cursory review of the presidential campaign coverage of 2004 reveals that President Bush and his Democratic challenger Senator John Kerry were described simply by their official titles. Clean and accurate references.

The fact that so many contemporary media have adopted "presumptive presidential nominee" is symptomatic either of journalistic herd mentality or lazy reporting. We should demand that our reporters exercise independent stances and show respect for precise language. Anything less is a journalistic failing.

Steve Coon (Ames, Iowa)