Barbara Boxer: Call Me 'Senator' (VIDEO, POLL)

UPDATE: More fall-out from Sen. Boxer's insistence last week that the military officer she was questioning call her 'senator,' instead of 'ma'am.' Chuck DeVore, a Republican running for Boxer's Senate seat in 2010 called it "the latest liberal-military confrontation." He went on to bring up her participation in Vietnam War protests and ask on his website: "Why do some liberals apparently despise our military?"

Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina was also disturbed by the nomenclature request, calling the Senator "a loose cannon" and an embarrassment to her party. From McClatchy's write up of the kerfuffle:

Republican critics in the blogosphere and elsewhere are excoriating Boxer... "I just can't put up with that kind of thing when people think too much of themselves, and we see a lot of that in Washington," DeMint told Fox News Channel.

UPDATE: John McCain poked fun at fellow senator Barbara Boxer on "Hannity" Thursday.

"Thank you for calling me 'Senator' and not 'sir," McCain said to the host, grinning.

* * * * *

Yesterday at an EPW hearing, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) asserted herself. A military officer testifying began to respond to one of her questions by calling her ma'am. But Boxer interrupted: "Do me a favor," she said, "could you say 'senator' instead of 'ma'am?' It's just a thing, I worked so hard to get that title, so I'd appreciate it, yes, thank you."

Fox News actually reported out this story by calling up an Army spokesman to ask if it was disrespectful for the officer to call Boxer ma'am. Their conclusion: no big deal! What do you think?

Watch it here and scroll down to take our poll.

Quick Poll

Was the officer out of line?

No, Boxer is way too sensitive.

Yes, he's rude, and possibly sexist.

Maybe he meant it as a term of respect, but he's talking to a Senator!

Who cares?

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Comments

[CR46]

I presume that Mr. DeMint does not want to be referred to by any other title. This is just more "GOP Mustard talk".

[MakeAWish]

How about MS Boxer? I think that holds more esteem in today's climate than senator Boxer does. In some circles, senators and representatives are right there equal to slime and skunks.

[BlueStateMensch]

BAck to your sandbox, junior.

[mikala]

DeMint this clown has a lot of room to talk about being an embarrassment.

[fresberg]

McCain and Demint have shown by their comments that they absolutely don't get it and are just as obtuse after the GOP losses in the past two elections as they were before. If they aren't careful (which they certainly do not seem to be), they will become obsolete and not just obtuse.

[skantea]

Republican are really only talking to themselves.
And as they do their party gets smaller...and smaller...and smaller...

[Fretchen]

As a retired military officer, all I can say is that we say "maam" or "sir". It is a sign of respect. We do not say "Mr. President", we say "sir".

[lysistrata]

that is true for the military, but a general should have known the correct way to address a female senator.

[barkrudedog69]

That is one way the military protocol says to address a Senator.

[PoohBear]

That is the correct way to address a Senator, or any politician for that matter. She has the right to insist on being called by her title, but the General wasn't in the wrong by calling her "Ma'am".

[rich misty]

barkrudedog69 your documentation please?

[imfedup]

And generals aren't in the military?

[Fretchen]

Military protocol says to adress a member of Congress as "sir" or "maam."

[CUL8R]

Senator Boxer asked to be addressed to in the way she wanted to be addressed. Out of respect, her request should be honored without complaint of disdain. She is a Senator and has every right and priviledge to be addressed as such.

[BlueStateMensch]

You say "sir" to the President because he is COMMANDER in CHIEF.

SENATOR Boxer is a CIVILIAN... & protocol... ESPECIALLY in Senate Chambers UNDER OATH.. is to address a SENATOR as "SENATOR".

Period.

[henrypapillon]

Yes, and Representative as Congressman .You are correct, sir. And it is impolite to address any president or ex-president as Mr.

[PoohBear]

http://www.tradoc.army.mil/cong/faqs.htm#11

[billkarwin]

Reality check: if the testifier had been admonished by a male Senator to use his title of 'Senator' instead of simply 'Sir,' would we think twice? It's pretty ordinary to request formalities during a formal hearing.

[Fretchen]

see above. or "As a retired military officer, all I can say is that we say "maam" or "sir". It is a sign of respect. We do not say "Mr. President", we say "sir"."

[lysistrata]

How would you address a female president? Madam President?

[BlueStateMensch]

Military refer to the President as "sir" because the President is Commander in Chief.

It has NOTHING to do with PROTOCOL in the US SENATE Chamber.

[billkarwin]

That's fine, I realize it's appropriate and perfectly within protocol for the testifier to call the Senator "ma'am." But that's not what Senator Boxer requested. My point is that people are reacting in a partisan and perhaps sexist way by blowing it out of proportion. If it had been a male Senator, I think people would have called it a little idiosyncratic or slightly egotistical, but essentially harmless. Not in any way an "embarrassment to the party."

[Dupree]

For many years women had been subjected to demeaning labels and not respected. Now, I am not implying that the military man that evoked the "maam" label to her was trying to be disrespectful but she is over the age of forty and was a product of that era and did in fact worked real hard to earn that title and she has every right to be addressed in that manner. Go Boxer.

[Fretchen]

Before you go nuts: As a retired military officer, all I can say is that we say "maam" or "sir" as a sign of respect. We do not say "Mr. President", we say "sir". If we do not say "Mr. President" why should we say "Senator." The terms "maam" and "sir" are used sparingly by those of us in the military. She should be pleased, not upset.

[cinesimon]

Your first sentence is precisely what many women are told when addressing the issue of chauvinism.
You obviously belong to a generation who see women as slaves, not equals. Poor little you.

And the president is your commander in chief, that's why you call him sir.
Senators are civilians, and have nothing to do with your command structure - so if they wish to be called by their title, they should be.
It strikes me as very odd that you would present yourself as a retied officer, yet know little about the difference between how to address the commander a chief and a civilian senator.
You indeed strike me as not a retired officer at all: but yet another right wing impostor pretending to know what you're talking about. You are a dime a dozen in these parts.

it is indeed true that this wold not be an issue of Boxer were male.

[ramper]

Of course it was not disrespectful. Boxer is so wrapped up in her own perceived importance that she is only sorry he did not refer to her as "your majesty."

[tb92]

She should be called whatever she prefers. Everyone should. I'll keep voting for one of the few people who actually supports a progressive agenda.

[rich misty]

It's her voting that makes them attack her with such violence, not what protocol dictates what she is to be called.

[PoohBear]

True. This is just another case of the GOP desperate for anything that might improve their numbers. This whole incident is a complete non-issue.

[SeattleNick]

Maybe the GOP and their religious molas would do better keeping track of whom they should be sleeping with. Also they are loosing governors too where ever. Look at your Mrs Bachman

[LooktotheLeft]

Senator DaPimp's an embarrassment to the primate race of which he currently a member

[Angmorg]

Stick to Fox Comedy channel.

Nobody else cares about your opinion

[KimberleyC]

I have voted for BBox the last 3 or so elections, and I think she was out of line. I'll continue to vote for her though, no matter how the "conservatives" try to spin it.

[instagladiator]

It's nice to read a mature response on such a childish issue.

[PoohBear]

Good to see some reasonable people on HuffPo.

[Angmorg]

Hey deMint.
I'll worry about my party.

You worry about that embarrassment you call the Republican party

[barkrudedog69]

Great what are you going to do with Blago, Monica Conyers, William Jefferson, Sheila Dixon, Charles Rangel, Nancy Pelosi, John Murtha, Jim Moran and Peter Visclosky to name a few?