Frankly, This Barney Needs A Nametag

A name tag may be in order for Rep. Barney Frank, who is finding his last name mangled again despite his high recognition as a Democratic Party figure in the House of Representatives.

The Massachusetts lawmaker’s last name has provoked two notable mispronunciations in recent months.

In an incident that sparked a tempest in the House last January, Frank was referred to as “Barney Fag” by Rep. Dick Armey, the No. 2 Republican. Armey quickly apologized for what he said was a slip of the tongue.

In the latest name-mangling incident, Democratic political consultant James Carville referred to Frank as “Barney Fife” - the fictional bumbling, bug-eyed sheriff’s deputy who was Andy Griffith’s sidekick in the television series.

That prompted a quick letter to Carville from Armey’s press secretary, Ed Gillespie. The spokesman said he was “stunned” to hear Carville mispronounce Frank’s name even as he was attacking Armey for the same thing.