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Former American president George W. Bush is widely known to use nicknames to refer to journalists, fellow politicians, and members of his White House staff. His penchant for bestowing nicknames may come from his experiences with Skull & Bones, the Yale University secret society that gives every member a nickname. His was reportedly "Temporary", because he never chose a permanent one.^[1]

Bush's nicknaming proclivity is noted enough to have attracted a variety of satire, including a New York Times humor piece,^[2] and a Doonesbury strip where "Condi" is admonished with the phrase "Careful, Brown Sugar".

Family

• Poppy, 41, Old Man - George H. W. Bush^[3]
• Bushie - Laura Bush (this is a mutual nickname)^[4]

Foreign leaders

• Dino (short for Dinosaur) - Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister of Canada^[5]
• Steve - Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada^[6]
• Pootie-Poot - Vladimir Putin, current Prime Minister and former President of Russia^[7][8]
• Bandar Bush - Bandar bin Sultan, ambassador to the United States from Saudi Arabia^[9]
• Landslide - Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom^[10]
• Man of Steel - John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia^[11]

Staff

• Big Time - Dick Cheney, Vice President of the United States of America^[8]
• Izzy, Altoid Boy* - Special Assistant Israel Hernandez (*for his role as provider of breath mints to the President on the campaign trail)^[12][13]
• Boy Genius, Turd Blossom - Senior Advisor Karl Rove^[14][8]
• Condi - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice^[8]
• The World's Greatest Hero - Secretary of State Colin Powell^[15]
• Big O (current), Pablo (former) - Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill^[16]
• Fredo, Speedy - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales^[17][8]
• Danny Boy, Dan the Man - Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Bartlett^[12]
• Ari-Bob - White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer^[18]
• High Prophet, Hurricane Karen - Karen Hughes, Special Advisor; Director of Communications under Texas Governor George W. Bush^[19]
• The Blade, My Man Mitch - Office of Management and Budget Director Mitch Daniels^[20]
• Big Country - Director of FEMA Joe Allbaugh^[21]
• Brownie - Director of FEMA Michael D. Brown^[22]
• Tree Man - Unnamed forest service official^[23]
• La Margarita - Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings^[24]
• Tangent Man - Chief of Staff Andrew Card^[25]
• Tiny - Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage^[26]
• Light Bulb - National Energy Policy Development Group Executive Director Andrew D. Lundquist^[27]
• Horny - White House Speechwriter Jonathan Horn^[28]

Politicians

• Pablo - Paul Wellstone, Democratic Senator, Minnesota^[29]
• Pedro - Peter King, Republican Congressman from New York^[10]
• Hogan^[30] - John McCain, Republican Senator, Arizona^[10]
• Big George - George Miller, Democratic Congressman, California^[3]
• Freddy Boy, Freddo - Fred Upton, Republican Congressman from Michigan^[3]
• Congressman Kickass - John Sweeney, Republican Congressman, New York^[31]
• Nellie (former), Benney (former), Benator (current) - Ben Nelson, Democratic Senator, Nebraska^[32] (Daily Show, 02/28/05)
• Ellis - Chuck Schumer, Democratic Senator, New York^[33]
• Bama, Rock - Barack Obama, former Democratic Senator, Illinois and the current President^[34]
• Ali - Barbara Boxer, Democratic Senator, California^[35]
• Frazier - Diane Feinstein, Democratic Senator, California^[36]
• Sabertooth - Barney Frank, Democratic Congressman, Massachusetts^[37]
• Red - Adam Putnam, Republican Congressman, Florida^[38]

Journalists

• The Cobra - Maureen Dowd^[39]
• Stretch/Little Stretch - David Gregory, NBC^[40][41][42]
• Stretch - Dick Kyle, Bloomberg News^[42]
• Super Stretch - Bill Sammon, then of The Washington Times, now of The Washington Examiner^[42]
• Mikey - Mike Emanuel, Fox News ^[43]
• Shades - Peter Wallsten, blind reporter for the Los Angeles Times^[44]
• Dubyaman - Jug Suraiya, Cartoonist for Indian Daly, The Times of India ^[45]
• Panchito - Frank Bruni, Reporter who covered Bush campaign in 2000 for the New York Times ^[46]

Others

• Kenny Boy - Kenneth Lay ^[47]
• Weadie, Weadnik - author Doug Wead ^[48]
• The Englishman - Peter McMahon, husband of Dana Perino ^[49]

See also

• List of United States Presidential nicknames

References

External links

• Nicknames used by George W. Bush at NNDB

George W. Bush Family Laura Bush (spouse) · Jenna Bush (daughter) · Barbara Bush (daughter) George H. W. Bush (father) · Barbara Bush (mother) · Bush family Pets Barney · Miss Beazley · India Life Early life · Professional life · Governorship of Texas · Religious faith Presidency First term · Second term · Cabinet · Domestic policy · Legislation and programs · Economic policy · Foreign policy · Bush Doctrine · Iraq War · Judicial appointments · Pardons · Presidential library Image Public image · Bushisms · Nicknames · As the subject of books and films Elections Electoral history · 2000 campaign · 2004 campaign · Endorsement of John McCain for President, 2008