Wassup dawg!

After giving it some thought, I decided I would offer this to our cultured readers.  What degree of casualness do you think is excessive when discussing public figures?  I’m not talking about celebrity trade names like Madonna, Oprah, or Dr. Drew.  I’m talking about real people who happen to hold positions of importance.  Sometimes I half wonder when I’m looking at various blogs at what point I’m going to see the headline, “Mr. B. say no to womYn priests.”  Perhaps I’m being anachronistic.  “Johnny and Barry are running for president” has a nails on the chalkboard like quality to me.  If I had my way – rest assured I don’t – I would require writers to include the appropriate honorific and last name when mentioning candidates, at least the first time in referencing them.  For example: Senators McCain and Obama, President Bush.  On the religious end, it used to be Father [last name] unless one was a religious and then it was Father [religious name].

Your refined opinions please.