2008 Candidates and Their Nicknames

[ClarkUSA]

Guess whose nickname was Bird Legs? :rofl:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Meet the presidential candidates by another name -- Barry, Bird Legs, Coyote Bill.

Such are their childhood nicknames.

Several of the candidates go around today with names altered in their youth. Mitt Romney, for example, was named Willard Mitt Romney.
In a twist from the usual nickname progression, Fred Thompson actually was named Freddie, and John Edwards was named Johnny.

Rudolph Giuliani is running under the less formal Rudy, the name by which his friends and close associates have known him for decades.

Behind those modest alterations are a few truly fanciful monikers. They emerged when AP asked them about their childhood nicknames
in a series of questions about their personal side. Thompson's campaign, in response, indulged in a touch of whimsical wishful thinking.

The candidates by their full names, and their nicknames:

DEMOCRATS:

New York Sen. Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton: No nicknames that stuck

Former North Carolina Sen. Johnny Reid Edwards: John

Illinois Sen. Barack Hussein Obama Jr.: Barry

New Mexico Gov. William Blaine Richardson: Coyote Bill


REPUBLICANS:

Former New York Mayor Rudolph William Louis Giuliani: Rudy

Former Arkansas Gov. Michael Dale Huckabee: Mike and Huck

Arizona Sen. John Sidney McCain III: Johnny

Former Massachusetts Gov. Willard Mitt Romney: ''In high school, my friends called me Bird Legs. And how did I get it? Take a guess.''

Former Tennessee Sen. Freddie Dalton Thompson: Mr. President

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-2008-Personal-Side-Nicknames.html

[question everything]

1. As long as you give complete names

Romney's Mitt is for Milton..

(yes, I know, it is from the NYT)

[silverojo]

2. Good Lord, Mitt....

If your FRIENDS called you Bird Legs, what'd your enemies call you? :evilgrin:

And how about John Edwards' real name being "Johnny"! Normally that's a nickname of John, not vice-versa, LOL.

I think "Barry Obama" should've stuck. People could chant, "Give 'em hell, Barry!" at the campaign rallies. :D

[ClarkUSA]

5. What possessed Romney's campaign to admit such a thing??

If he becomes the nominee, I can just see the heckling he'll get! I knew Edwards' real name was Johnny Reid (apparently he changed it to John
because it sounded less backwoods-ish and more mainstream). As for Barry, you've got to give Obama credit for sticking to a name that was
so totally outside the norm -- but I have to admit I like the sound of "Give 'em hell, Barry!" :D

[bklyncowgirl]

7. I suppose they're trying to showcase his genial sense of humor. nt

[rpannier]

3. New nicknames

Rudy Guliani --> 9/11 Ghouliani. Could also be Rudy "Dead body climber" Ghouliani

Mitt Romney --> Mitt "The Piece of sh*t" Romney

Fred Thompson --> Fred "Speaks like he's dead" Thompson

Mike Huckabee --> The Huckster

[frazzled]

4. Please, let the era of nicknames be over

We've had enough nicknames from Bush to last us a lifetime. I refuse to call anyone by a nickname ever again.

[bklyncowgirl]

6. Coyote Bill vs Bird Legs why am I getting an image of a Road Runner cartoon?

Hillary Clinton--no nicknames that stuck--or that she's willing to tell us about.