Why is it that only LBJ and FDR are referred to by their initials?

Any particular reason? Why isn't Bush referred to as GWB and Clinton referred to as BJC and Obama referred to as BHO?

 

You never heard of JFK?

 

Damn I forgot that one! Although I had him in mind too, just not when I wrote the thread title.

 

My guess-
Johnson is common. There's millions of them. Even though theres only one President Johnson, people who don't know all the Presidents might think 'which Johnson?' But Lyndon B Johnson is kinda a mouthfull. Thus LBJ.
There were two Roosevelts. Teddy was Teddy, and Frank doesn't sound like a President, so its FDR.
Kennedy prolly just cuz there were too many of them in politics already, so it was either say their full name, say their title with their name, or use their initials.

 

It was Franklin though, not Frank.

 

The nicknames or intials just sound better than saying the whole name. Bush's middle initial was used..W or Dubya or however it was pronounced and Teddy Roosevelt was referred to as TR.

 

I would assume it is because THEY used their middle names; that is, I don't recall Obama ever referring to himself as Barack Hussein Obama, or George Bush going by George Washington Bush, but some people either prefer their middle names to their first-- like F. Scott Fitzgerald, presumably, for just one example-- or use both first and middle names, which is generally too long for someone whose name is going to be used as frequently as the President's. So, I would guess that FDR actually stated his name as "Franklin Delano Roosevelt," to give Delano, which I am presuming is a last name, probably of his mother's family, equal billing with Roosevelt; Lyndon Baines Johnson, follows the same pattern. Likewise, though I am not quite old enough to know this, for a fact, I would speculate that JFK actually included his middle name, at least periodically, in introducing himself (as John Fitzgerald Kennedy).

Just wanted to remind you of Lincoln's VP, and later President, Andrew Johnson (though we would have been better off, had he never been president).

 

There have been two Johnson presidents.

 

Hmm... so, just for accuracy, Bill would be William, and his initials would be WJC... I suspect that, like most serial killers are referred to by their complete names, these 3 letter initial presidents could also fall into that same cautionary model, You must know who the really bad ones are by their full legal names kind of mentality. Oh, and mostly, they were both huge racists.

 

Which presidents were "huge racists"?

Not FDR and LBJ.

 

Not a fan of history, huh......

 

Considering that LBJ was a promoter of some of the most important civil rights legislation of the 20th century I would say you are the one who doesn't know history.

 

It was Frank. Just watch FDR: American Badass.

 

George Walker Bush not Washington and his Father was George Herbert Walker Bush. The Walker comes from GHWB's Mother's maiden name.

 

LOL.... And ignorant of context to boot. The day gets even better. Did he promote it? Perhaps, but for the very cynical reason that he believed that in doing so, he would make black folk dependent on democrats for decades, a prediction that appears to have been very accurate. Perhaps you know the quote? The one where he said "we'll have those N^^^^rs voting democrat for 200 years"? Again, you don't seem to know your presidents, or their politics. I bet they don't publish that quote often on Talkingpointsmemo.com... do they.. And for good reason. LBJ was one of the great racists of his day. That sentient seems to be clearly reflected in democrats these days. Say one thing in private, and market the rest of the time. Hmm.. that seems to be exactly how democrats work these days.

 

Johnson used his power and manipulation to get what he wanted. Then along comes Vietnam.

 

Thank you for the correction. I actually knew that, but my brain must not have been in top form, at the time.

So, if Bush #43 had used the "Walker," name audibly, in speaking his name, I guess history might suggest that he would have come to be known as G.W.B. (though GHWB sounds like a new drug, or a broadcast station's call letters, so I don't think that would have happened). What makes me have reservations about that likelihood, for G.W.B, is the brevity of each of his names: using the initials, only saves a person 1 syllable. With LBJ, you save 2 syllables, at least; JFK saves you 4 syllables; and FDR saves the speaker 5 syllables.

 

I knew all of this about LBJ. After all I taught American and World History for 12 years. But someones motives carries no weight to me regarding their actions.

 

You are welcome and not many people have a top form brain in today's time. I call it brain lock.

 

I wonder at what point they became known by their initials.

Was LBJ called that before he was president or did it become common after he was elected? a quick look at his Wikipedia page doesn't say when it started.

 

I am a fan of History and it’s pretty obvious that FDR and LBJ were not as racists as most other US Presidents that preceded them, nor any more than Nixon, Reagan, or the Bush’s let alone DJT. Get a grip!

 

So you are a Trump supporter? Who knew...

 

LOL... You're a fan? Like in fantasy history? Seems as much. Which other presidents put folks in camps, or otherwise supported and participated in the KKK? Do tell.

 

Many of our early Presidents were slave owners and supporters of slavery. Neither FDR or LBJ were. Your whole screed here is all about that phony Demikins vs Republicrat garbage. Democrat Bad, Republican Good. Your posts are as transparent and silly as the opening monologue of the Hannity show. Harding, Coolidge, Taft, McKinnley and almost all US Presidents could easily be termed extreme racists by today’s standards. Singling out LBJ or FDR is silly ruse.

 

Sorry the previous comment so effectively undercut your narrative. Now we're just settling in with the name calling. Did it make you feel better at least?