If Hillary Clinton were president, would Bill be known as the "first man?"

[depakid]

That was a question posed by one Margaret Hamilton in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Some responses:

No gender surrender

Dear me, Margaret Hamilton, how terribly chauvinistic of you. If the president's wife assumes the title of first lady, regardless of whether or not she deserves to be called a lady, surely the president's husband should be called the first gentleman, regardless of the fact that he is Bill Clinton.

Kevin Lamond Windsor
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No, Margaret Hamilton, if Hillary is elected Bill Clinton will not be known as the first man, but rather as the first lady's man (or perhaps the first ladies' man).

Chris Claassen Tura Beach
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If Hillary Clinton becomes president and Bill moves into the White House, will she make him wear a chastity belt?

Andrew Partos Seaforth

[terisan]

1. How about following Brits-instead of royal consort, he will be non-royal consort.

[Alexander]

2. I guess we'll never know.

[cloudbase]

3. First gentleman, perhaps? n/t

[SeattleGirl]

4. That would be my guess. n/t

[TheDebbieDee]

5. Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner.......

[RiverStone]

8. I think he would still be called Mr. President

Tradition has it that all ex-president's are still called Mr. President. Except Shrub will always be Shrub.

Just what we need - Mr. and Mrs. President! :sarcasm:

Won't happen - folks want CHANGE way more than that...

[MADem]

9. It's the opposite--we say First Lady, not First Woman

Although if Huckabee gets it, who knows, maybe he'll go for that Adam and Eve-ish first woman thing...!

[originalpckelly]

6. I think it would be a little odd if they called him First Lady.

:P

[Benhurst]

7. Well, he would be the first man to live in the White House going on

eight years now.

[Lautremont]

10. It's not well known, but there is a provision in the Constitution for this - a strange one!

It seems that Bill Clinton will by law be known as "First Lady," his actual gender notwithstanding. It's simply tradition, I suppose, but in this case backed up by law.

[depakid]

11. Would the big dog get a pink tutu along with that?

:o

[Lautremont]

12. And he has to talk in a high-pitched falsetto.

No, I made that last part up.

[Orsino]

13. He will be referred to as First Husband...

...and addressed as Mister President.

[BearSquirrel2]

14. I get the idea we would know him as ...

I get the idea that we would know him at that point as "Secretary of State". Thats effectively the job he would be doing.