My opponent

[ps1074]

Why is Hillary saying "my opponent" every time she refers to Obama? As if people don't already know who her opponent is. I find it stupid and insulting. Is she afraid she might misspeak and say "senator Osama"?

[JuniperLea]

1. Surely this isn't your first election...

The term has been used since the beginning of American politics. "My worthy opponent"... etc.

Nothing new. Nothing new at all.

[H2O Man]

2. To de-personalize.

Common in politics and other forms of competition.

[hisownpetard]

5. Exactly. She started doing that the day after the last debate. She doesn't even want to give him

the dignity of speaking his name, reducing him to nothing but an "opponent"
in the ring, as she sees it.

[democrattotheend]

7. Has he done it too?

I haven't noticed him doing it, but that doesn't mean he never has. He usually says "Senator Clinton", I think, or "Hillary Clinton."

[H2O Man]

9. Obama has

spoken of his "opponent." More frequently, he refers to her by name.

Her use of the term "my opponent" is purposeful. It is a tactic that she has made a conscious choice to employ.

[SoCalDem]

3. She's trying to remain detatched and aloof...and by refusing to say his name

she's pretending that he's not with mentioning..SHE'S the elitist snob.. she thinks that the local yokels are too stupid to understand that she's blowing smoke up their...um..you know..

and that they will swallow the drek and say "yes mz Clinton, we luv ya..we don't like that black dude..we're votin' fer you"..

[knixphan]

4. 'cause she only has one opponent.

but Barack has two.

[grantcart]

6. it does seem odd after expressing how proud she was to stand next to him

[emilyg]

8. Trivial OP.