Do you think the POTUS and FLOTUS mind being called that?

Is it just me, or are POTUS and FLOTUS a bit funky sounding? Funky as in cool or funky as in degrading? Personally I like the acronyms POTUS (though I never actually say it). I’m not seeing the President or First Lady as caring/minding what they are called (POTUS/FLOTUS) since they know exactly who they are…. I hope.;-)

No. The first time I heard every other word be an acronym I thought WTF, but soon enough I was using them myself. They sound stupid, but I think everybody eventually gets used to it. We called POTUS CINC. Is one better than the other?

I think SCOTUS, which covers 9 different people, is even creepier. Sounds like naughty anatomy, maybe?

While it might sound offensive or even creepy, the acronyms are firmly entrenched in the news media & probably cannot be up-rooted…. at least until the next acronym comes along.

How about CINCUS, Commander-in-Chief United States Fleet. Pronounced “Sink Us”!

When did they start being called that? I didn’t even see these terms until the last few years. I have only seen them used on the internet.

I think they don’t really like it, but they don’t mind because they understand the reason why people use it.

Honestly, they all sound like nasty anatomical terms. Reminds me of “bolus” and “meatus” and what not.

I don’t know if they mind, but I hate when it is used verbally. I don’t like it even written down, but can tolerate it more that way as a shorthand or textspeak. I much prefer Pres. than POTUS.

Was it made up by the press? I had seen this before, but my mind wouldn’t accept it. I had to figure out the acronym all over again. And I think I’ll forget it again, I don’t like it, because I agree with @DominicX . It sounds too much like nasty synonyms for anatomical terms.

I think the acronyms were made up by the Secret Service.

@wundayatta You don’t know how fond the government is of acronyms, do you? Maybe the tip of the iceberg, but dealing with CDOs, LPOs, LSOs, Divos, Disbos, DILDOs, BUPERs, and damn near every other combination/permutation of 3–5 letters, not counting abbreviations like CinCPacFleet, it doesn’t take long for a military person to realize that how much Uncle Sam loves his alphabet soup.

@jerv Was POTUS made up by the government? Or, the media? I know just what you are talking about, I grew up in DC. My dad worked for PHS, now HHS I guess, at NIMH. My mom at NCI and FDA. A friend at NIST.

I guess we all know SNAFU and CYA, pretty sure they started in the military.

@JLeslie Unknown, but based on other abbreviations/acronyms, it fits the style.

That doesn’t count the “retcon” acronyms like Never Again Volunteer Yourself, or the variety of ones for Uncle Sam;s Misguided Children.

@jerv Oh I do know how fond the government is of acronyms. I’m assuming you know the secret service is a branch of government, but you’re acting like it doesn’t count.

@wundayatta I was just poking fun at your understatement.

Very droll, @jerv. Very dry.

Very odd. I answered all the responses that were here last night, and the post evaporated. So I posted again, the hour being late, apologizing for not having responded to each answer, and saying I’d try again tonight. That post also evaporated. Can I not comment on my own question?