The Nickname George W. Bush Gave To Chris Christie
Whether it's the playground or the office, if your peers assign you a nickname, that's likely what you'll be known as for the foreseeable future. And while everyone wants to be an "Ace" or a "Champ," less-than-flattering nicknames are usually the ones that stick, popping up to embarrass you even years after the fact. Just try explaining to your fiance why everyone at your 20-year high school reunion is addressing you as "Mr. Doofus!" And when the person nicknaming you isn't little Timmy, but the president of the United States, chances are you won't be shaking it anytime soon. Chris Christie found this out for himself in 2001, when then-President George W. Bush bestowed upon him not only the title of New Jersey's only U.S. attorney but also a rather memorable moniker (via The Observer).
These days, presidential nicknames are mainly associated with former President Donald Trump, but Bush was quite a master of the form during his day. From the affectionate ("First" for Laura Bush) to the hilarious ("Pootie-poot" and "Ostrich Legs" for Vladimir Putin), to the downright offensive (something folksy, but unprintable for Karl Rove), he had no shortage of sobriquets up his sleeve.
So, what nickname did the 43rd president pick for Christie? Keep scrolling to find out.
George W. Bush's nickname for Chris Christie wasn't exactly subtle
George W. Bush was never one to beat around the bush. And true to form, his nickname for Chris Christie was rather obvious: Big Boy.
While it's not entirely negative — The Observer points out that Christie is certainly someone with a "big voice and big confidence and big opinions" — Bush was more than likely just referring to his stature. This is an unfortunate trend that has followed Christie for most of his life in the public eye. Reports about him almost always comment on his size, despite the fact that his appearance has nothing to do with his career, failures, or achievements.
However, Christie didn't seem to mind Bush's nickname too much, perhaps choosing to focus on its positive aspects. He appears to still hold the former Republican president in high regard, even describing him as "grossly underappreciated" in a talk with the Economic Club of Chicago in 2014 (via The Washington Post).
Was George W. Bush the only president to give Chris Christie a nickname?
George W. Bush may have pioneered the art of nicknames, but Donald Trump perfected them. Decidedly more mean-spirited than Bush's playful monikers, Trump's hits include "Crooked Hillary" (for then political rival Hillary Clinton), "Sleepy Joe" and "Crazy Joe" for current president Joe Biden, and the baffling but accurate "Justin from Canada" for Justin Trudeau. But, has Chris Christie received one? And is it more creative than "Big Boy?"
While Bush seemed to nickname anyone who happened to enter his orbit, Christie thinks that Trump saves his for those he holds in low regard. "If he respects you, you don't get a nickname, because he's afraid what's going to come back," Christie revealed at a 2019 function (via The Hill). He added that respect was the reason Nancy Pelosi was just "Nancy," although Trump has actually re-branded her as "Nervous Nancy" since.
That being said, Christie seems to have escaped the curse of the Trump nickname. And while Big Boy might not be the most flattering moniker, it could be much worse.