Candidates should avoid ‘royal we’

Am I the only one annoyed when presidential candidates refer to themselves as “we” instead of “I“? For example: “We will continue to work hard in New Hampshire…”

The usage is known as the “royal we“ or “editorial we“ and the speakers may be doing it out of habit, or in deference to their campaign workers, or in an effort to ingratiate themselves with their audiences. Or maybe just to avoid taking personal responsibility for what they are saying.

They all do it, and they should stop. We the voters will be electing a single individual to the office of president. When candidates speak, they should own their words, their intent, their promises. I want to hear “I think,” not “We think,” “I will,” not “We will.”

Say what you mean and mean what you say. It’s not that hard.