Mr. President (title)
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The title "Mr. President" can be used for any democratically elected head of state that holds the role of President.
It is commonly associated with the President of the United States, though not exclusively. While in speaking of a president no longer in office, the phrase "Former President..." is often used. However, when addressing them personally people often retain "Mr. President".
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[edit] Feminization
If the president is a woman, the phrase "Madam President" is used in place of "Mrs. President", the later can denote the First Lady, though the phrase first lady is often used instead.
[edit] Legal Enforcement
According to the White House, there are no concrete rules for addressing the president. All persons in the United States may address any President as they see fit. There is no legislation that prohibits a former president from using the title, and in practice they generally do.
[edit] In formal writing
A President should be addressed historically by the title they held at the time. For example, before 1992, Former President Bill Clinton would be referred to as "Bill Clinton, Governor of Arkansas". After 2000, he would be addressed as either "Former President Bill Clinton" or "Bill Clinton, the Forty-Second President of the United States." The phrase "Mr. President" should only appear in dialogue.
[edit] In Pop Culture
The phrase is used in movies such as Air Force One, Dave, and My Fellow Americans by staffers and the Secret Service when addressing fictitious presidents, sometimes creating humorous confusion when addressing multiple presidents. The acronym POTUS is used more rarely.
Marilyn Monroe gave the phrase a sultry tone when singing "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy. In context, the phrase "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" is associated with her attraction to President Kennedy, and a broader reference to the sexual appeal of the power of office
