<P> In the U.S., the title is reserved for the incumbent president only, and should not be used for former presidents . It is not proper to use the title as a courtesy title when addressing a former president . </P> <P> In the United States, the title "Mr. President" is used in a number of formal instances as well: for example anyone presiding over the United States Senate is addressed as "Mr. President ." Other uses of the title include presidents of state and local legislatures, however only the President of the United States uses the title outside of formal sessions . </P> <P> Thomas Hungerford, who became the first Speaker of the English House of Commons in 1376, used the title, "Mr. Speaker," a precedent followed by subsequent Speakers of the House of Commons . This influenced parliamentary usage in France . </P> <P> By the 18th century, the president of a French parlement was addressed as "Monsieur le Président ." In Pierre Choderlos de Laclos's 1782 novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses ("Dangerous Liaisons"), the wife of a magistrate in a parlement is referred to as Madame la Présidente de Tourvel ("Madam President of Tourvel"). When the Second French Republic was established in 1848, "Monsieur le Président" became the title of the President of the Republic of France . </P>

How to address a former president of the usa