On Addressing a Former President

Re: Titles used to address a person who was formerly the President of the United States

Judith Martin, AKA Miss Manners, maintains that the title of President cannot be used to address a former occupant of that office.

In an inauguration-day article in the Washington Post, she traces the origin of this idea to George Washington, who believed that "there could only be one president of the United States at a time...so he let it be known that he would revert to his previous title of General Washington."

Additionally,

From Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior:

"Letting Go"

DEAR MISS MANNERS:

I work in an office where we deal with guest lists, name tags, and titles (both elected and appointed officials).

After an official is no longer holding elected or appointed office, what happens to their title? I know in some cases they retain their titles. Do the elected officials retain their titles, but not the appointed officials? Do some of the elected retain their titles and some do not, depending on the level of the office (example: A governor would retain his title but not a school board member)?

GENTLE READER:

Alas, it is not as simple as whether the office holder was elected or appointed: A hodge-podge of historic custom make some title last a lifetime, while others disappear when the job does. Roughly, the job has to be high ranking, such as governor, colonel or judge, and yet not unique, such as President of the United States.

It is even less simple to get the former officials to let go of their titles when the time comes. Miss Manners has noticed that all former presidents now seem to retain the title, although she prefers to believe that they merely refrain politely from correcting people who wrongly address them.