Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » Hey, why no periods in Vance’s name? (Update)
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
Hey, why no periods in Vance’s name? (Update)

Wednesday, Jul 24, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Remember this funny little kerfuffle from 2019?

Major media organizations have been using those periods on the name of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. But that’s not how the governor has been spelling it — at least not lately — though his name has appeared with periods in the past, as when he ran for Congress in 1998.

Long story short, Pritzker told Brian Mackey that he doesn’t use periods in his name.

Back to the story

Many of us rely on the Associated Press to settle these questions, so I emailed the corporate office in New York. Spokeswoman Lauren Easton wrote back after broadcast: “AP is considering how to handle the styling of the governor’s initials but hasn’t yet resolved it.” But the AP Stylebook says when someone uses initials instead of a first name, periods should be used

* The Associated Press (which doesn’t put periods in AP) continues to this day to refer to the governor as “J.B. Pritzker.” So does the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times and NPR, which, like the AP, does not put periods in the abbreviation of its own name.

* Why am I bringing this up? Well, here’s an AP (A.P.?) story about another politician who doesn’t use periods in his name

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance used his first solo campaign rallies Monday to throw fresh barbs at Vice President Kamala Harris a day after President Joe Biden threw the presidential election into upheaval by dropping out and endorsing his second-in-command to lead Democrats against Donald Trump.

Sen. Vance’s full name is James David Vance. But no periods for the A.P.

Odd.

* The Tribune and the Sun-Times are also using Vance’s preferred spelling, while continuing to spell Pritzker’s name with periods. Same for N.P.R.

USA Today, which also doesn’t put periods in its own abbreviation, spells their names “J.B. Pritzker” and “JD Vance.”

The Washington Post is being consistent, however. The paper spells both Pritzker’s and Vance’s names with periods.

* And, yes, of course this is a trivial matter. But these news outlets are all about words. The AP Stylebook is 524 pages long, for crying out loud.

On the off chance that Pritzker is chosen as a vice presidential candidate and faces Vance, we’ll probably see a revisiting of this oddly contradictory policy. Until then, inconsistency will likely prevail.

…Adding… The A.P. is the culprit here…


       

18 Comments »
  1. - TJ - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 1:21 pm:

    Yeah, and AP News also doesn’t use the Oxford Comma, an absolutely vital piece of punctuation (as if you introduce someone to “your wife, your best friend and your sister” rather than “your wife, your best friend, and your sister,” then you’re describing an admittedly happy but very disturbing relationship with your sister/wife with the former and a perfectly normal introduction for three different people with the latter), so they clearly don’t have their heads on straight as it is.


  2. - Benjamin - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 1:21 pm:

    As a former professional copy editor, this makes me unreasonably angry. You have a style guide, guys, now use it [banned punctuation]


  3. - Unionman - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 1:23 pm:

    At least we still have the WSJ using still using “Mr./Ms.”


  4. - Steve Rogers - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 1:29 pm:

    I thought Republicans were against using different names than birth names? What’s up with that James David?


  5. - TJ - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 1:34 pm:

    == I thought Republicans were against using different names than birth names? What’s up with that James David? ==

    In that vein, ask them what they think about Republican President Leslie Lynch King, Jr.


  6. - Proud Papa Bear - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 1:40 pm:

    Vance doesn’t use periods because women’s health makes him squeamish.


  7. - Shark Sandwich - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 1:41 pm:

    Missing a period or two under a Pritzker term isn’t nearly as menacing as it would be with Vance in office.


  8. - WLDS News - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 1:46 pm:

    prescriptive vs. descriptive grammar

    The period is in the eye of the pen holder.


  9. - 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 2:02 pm:

    Well played, Shark Sandwich.


  10. - Billy Batts - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 2:06 pm:

    Proud Papa five stars


  11. - Stix Hix - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 2:17 pm:

    I doubt if it matters to Mr. Vance. After all, Ukraine does not matter to him one way or the other.


  12. - Just a Random Guy - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 2:21 pm:

    Must be a slow news day……


  13. - walker - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 2:21 pm:

    Yeah but __ JB is his nickname, because B. is not his actual middle initial.


  14. - Anyone Remember - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 2:23 pm:

    Harry S Truman


  15. - Dysfunction Junction - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 2:29 pm:

    CMOS FTW. IYKYK.


  16. - Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 3:00 pm:

    “Harry S Truman”

    His middle name is S.

    And are we sure it’s not Jefferson Davis Vance…? /s


  17. - @misterjayem - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 4:25 pm:

    “Missing a period or two under a Pritzker term isn’t nearly as menacing as it would be with Vance in office.”

    Shut. It. Down.

    Everyone go home.

    10/10

    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    – MrJM


  18. - Anyone Remember - Wednesday, Jul 24, 24 @ 5:15 pm:

    “Did you know that Harry S. Truman actually had no middle name? His parents gave him the middle initial S to honor and please his grandfathers, Anderson Shipp Truman and Solomon Young. Since the S did not stand for a name, Harry didn’t use a period after it for most of his life.”

    https://www.trumanlittlewhitehouse.org/key-west/president-truman-biography


TrackBack URI

Uncivil comments, profanity of any kind, rumors and anonymous commenters will not be tolerated and will likely result in banishment.



* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* Hey, why no periods in Vance's name? (Update)
* Former AT&T president says no quid pro quo, no unlawful intent means Madigan-related charges should be dismissed
* Groups ramp up ahead of Iowa's 6-week abortion ban
* Biz types launch new PAC, 501c4 'One Future Illinois' (Updated)
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller