Attention

So the test of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System took place late this morning, and, as you likely know if you're reading this in the United States, it was titled "Presidential Alert."

Which seems to be an odd name for something that has nothing to do, really, with the President. The NWEAS isn't intended to be a bullhorn, or a bully pulpit for the current inhabitant of the Oval Office. According to FEMA: "You would not have a situation where the president would just wake up one morning, and attempt to send a personal message." But it seems that referring to the message as a "Presidential Alert" gave a lot of people the idea that this is just what could happen. And it's not like a term such as "National Alert" is trademarked or anything.

So... why do it?

I don't know. And frankly, I don't feel that I could speculate with anything approaching any accuracy, so I won't. But it does seem like an odd choice, given how polarizing a figure the President is.