At the start of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton's first presidential debate Monday night, the GOP nominee set Twitter abuzz when he addressed Clinton as Secretary Clinton and said, "Now, in all fairness to Secretary Clinton . . . yes? Is that okay? Good, I want you to be very happy. It's very important to me."
.@realDonaldTrump [1] on calling @HillaryClinton [2] "Secretary Clinton": "Is that okay?...I want you to be very happy." https://t.co/LKkNquN1Gk [3]
— ABC News (@ABC) September 27, 2016 [4]
Many people thought he might call her "Crooked Clinton" during the debate, the nickname he has given her throughout the campaign.
wait so Trump isn't gonna go with "crooked Hillary" tonight? #debates [5]
— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) September 27, 2016 [6]
Wow Donald trump called Hillary "secretary Clinton" and not "crooked Hillary"
— Wildfire Levine (@levine_jeremy6) September 27, 2016 [7]
But for the most part, people thought it was condescending to speak to her in such a manner.
"Secretary Clinton, is that okay? I want you to be very happy." Trump can't go five minutes w/o being condescending misogynist #DebateNight [8]
— (((John M. Becker))) (@freedom2marry) September 27, 2016 [9]
Secretary Clinton suffices.. so does First Lady, Senator, or Madam President.. Whatever floats your boat Donny... #debatenight [10]
— PoliticsBabe (@politicsbabe) September 27, 2016 [11]
OMG @realDonaldTrump [12] is so sleazy. "Secretary Clinton...is that okay?"
YES THATS HER TITLE YOU SLIMEBALL!— Alyssa V (@elthie) September 27, 2016 [13]
Trump Staff: Don't be a misogynist.@realDonaldTrump [14]: Secretary. Is that okay with you? I just want you to be happy.#nailedit [15] #debate2016 [16]
— Kesha Ram (@KeshaRam) September 27, 2016 [17]
@MeghanSaraK [18] The patronizing, "IS THAT OKAY? I want you to be very happy," when he called her Secretary Clinton was him taking the bait.
— Lauren Moccio (@LaurenMoccio) September 27, 2016 [19]
"Secretary Clinton, is that okay? I just want you to be happy. That's very important to me." My skin just crawled off my body.
— Elaine Anselmi (@elaineanselmi) September 27, 2016 [20]
Clinton has been calling him "Donald" throughout the debate, an apparent dig instead of calling him Mr. Trump.