Robbo's Rules of Etiquette

Reading about Hillary Rodham Clinton Rodham's acceptance speech for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination 2006 Democratic nomination for Senator from New York reminded me of a question that seems to be causing quite a bit of confusion. Specifically, in the event the Hill does become president or, for that matter, any other married woman wins the office, what title should her spouse have?

Well, surely the answer is "First Gentleman".

I fail to see why this is so difficult. And yet, I see all sorts of references to "First Spouse" and the like.

Yes, yes. I know that with Bubba in particular, saying "First Gentleman" is wholly absurd. But think of all the senior weasels in government whose titles begin "The Honorable" and you will see a) that it is not perhaps as far-fetched as all that, and b) that we must remember we are honoring the hat, not the person on whose head it is perched.

So there it is.