So, why does Attorney General Ashcroft want to be called GENERAL ?

MissMarple

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Tue Apr-13-04 03:03 PM
Original message

So, why does Attorney General Ashcroft want to be called GENERAL ?

Doesn't general modify attorney and not the other way around? He is such a smug, sanctimonious, specious prig. I don't know if I can go back and actually watch his testimony.

:evilgrin:

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xultar

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Tue Apr-13-04 03:04 PM
Response to Original message

1. They called Reno General also n/t

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bahrbearian

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Tue Apr-13-04 03:05 PM
Response to Original message

2. You are kidding me, he thinks he's a General?

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TN al

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Tue Apr-13-04 03:06 PM
Response to Original message

3. General is the proper title for the AG

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Gildor Inglorion

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Tue Apr-13-04 03:19 PM
Response to Reply #3

7. Same for the Solicitor General and the Surgeon General...

right?

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htuttle

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Tue Apr-13-04 04:05 PM
Response to Reply #3

9. No it's not!!!!

Edited on Tue Apr-13-04 04:07 PM by htuttle

The word 'General' in Attorneys General has nothing to do with the military, or the rank of 'General'.

It refers to the attorney being in charge of everything for the US, ie., the 'general attorney'.

Here's a secretarial site from the UK on that mentions the appropriate way to address various officials:
http://www.deskdemon.com/pages/uk/events/formsofaddress

It suggests using the term 'Mr.' when addressing the Attorney General.

If Ashcroft is actually requesting that he be called 'General', he's cracked. Next he'll be dressing like Napolean...

on edit: speling

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MissMarple

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Tue Apr-13-04 04:59 PM
Response to Reply #9

10. Slade Gorton referred to him as "Mr. Attorney General".

Good for him, and he is a Republican. The "General" thing just doesn't sound right to me. I'm glad to hear their is a reason for that.

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VolcanoJen

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Tue Apr-13-04 05:03 PM
Response to Reply #9

11. I'm with htuttle. That's the goofiest thing I've ever heard of.

What the hell is wrong with calling him "Mr. Attorney General"?

He's no fucking General. Neither was Reno. They are not military officers, they are political appointees of the people, through the "elected" commander-in-chief, and should be addressed, imo, as "Attorney General."

What did Robert Kennedy prefer to be called?

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mouse7

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Tue Apr-13-04 03:07 PM
Response to Original message

4. It's tradition, although one of the more bizarre in US gov't

Why they have been calling a lawyer "General" for all these centuries is beyond me, but they have been doing it that long.

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Warpy

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Tue Apr-13-04 03:16 PM
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5. Just be grateful he isn't insisting on "Your Holiness" n/t

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Rufus T. Firefly

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Tue Apr-13-04 03:16 PM
Response to Original message

6. Bobby Kennedy had a great line...

...after he was AG and running for senate, and was commenting on people saying that he had all kinds of ulterior motives for running.

He said (paraphrase) "Some people say I'm running for senate so I can have a title, but it's my understanding that I can be called General for the rest of my life."

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caledesi

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Tue Apr-13-04 03:34 PM
Response to Original message

8. The thugs call him General, Condi..always Dr. Rice, but when

it came to Richard Clarke, he was always referred to as Dick Clarke. You see referring to Dick Clarke diminishes his status.

These people make me sick!

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