Etiquette for talking about former Presidents

  • If a president is deceased for a long time:
  • and is well known, his name is "George Washington" or "Abraham Lincoln"
  • and is not well known, his name is "Grover Cleveland, the guy who was president twice" or "John Quincy Adams, the 10th president"
  • If a president is deceased and served within your lifetime:
  • and was generally well liked, his name is "President Kennedy" or "JFK"
  • and was generally disliked, his name is "Richard Nixon"
  • If a president is deceased and was a war hero:
  • and was generally well liked, his name is "President Eisenhower" or "General Eisenhower"
  • there is no disliking a war hero president
  • If a president is still alive:
  • and he is generally well liked, his name is "Ronald Reagen"
  • and he is the father of the current president, his name is "President Bush's Father the other President"
  • and it is yet to be determined, his name is "President Ford" or "President Carter"
  • and he is generally disliked, it is just because you are jealous of "Bill"




  • Etiquette for talking to former Presidents

  • If the president is deceased:
  • ummm.... say what?
  • If the president is alive:
  • and you respect him, address him as "President Carter"
  • and you don't respect him, it's just because you are jealous of "Bill"
  • and you don't remember his name, address him as "Mr President" or "Sir"
  • and he doesn't remember his name, call him "Ronnie"