Besides that you are wrong in your analysis regarding Santorum why are so many people calling the candidates with their first names? Mitt, Rick, Newt… Are you folks trying to be cool and hip?
Less to type and no need for formality.
Speaking only for myself, those nicknames are pretty much “authorized brevity codes” for the candidates; the media uses them quite often. I use them interchangeably w/their last names when I post simply because it takes so much longer to type “Gingrich,” “Santorum” or “Romney.”
If you really want to follow protocol and add honorifics (Former Speaker of the House, Former Senator, Former Governor of Massachusetts) it would be more correct; however, it would also be much more stilted, awkward and cumbersome.
(N.B.: Obviously, I am not on a first name basis w/any of the candidates and would address them appropriately if I ever met any one of them.)
Your stating something does not make it true. Nice try tho.
... why are so many people calling the candidates with their first names? Mitt, Rick, Newt…
I don't know about others, but I do it b/c it's shorter yet obviously conveys the same meaning.
Are you folks trying to be cool and hip?
What are you talking about?