# Could any "confirmed bachelor" be elected? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 3, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531 "2015-06-03T14:14:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/41 "2015-06-08T16:51:15Z")
I agree. Bill Maher, for one, is a confirmed bachelor who is straight. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/42 "2015-06-08T16:56:24Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Drinking, mostly. > > Seriously though, although he "advised " his wife he made relatively few formal appearances as the PM’s spouse. That said, as the PM is not Head of State for the UK (that role falling to the monarch) there really is no First Spouse role to speak of anyway. There’s Prince Philip, but I don’t know what social-hosting role he has, if any. Nor what was the role of the late Queen Mother when she was Queen Consort. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/43 "2015-06-08T17:31:58Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > I agree. Bill Maher, for one, is a confirmed bachelor who is straight. If it’s simply that no woman will have you, that does not make you a “confirmed” bachelor. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/44 "2015-06-08T19:12:52Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > If it’s simply that no woman will have you, that does not make you a “confirmed” bachelor. 😉 _Au contraire._ I don’t have to confirm that I am a bachelor. I’ve had it confirmed by others! ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/45 "2015-06-09T05:36:20Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Miss Manners has [answered](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/08/AR2008010804309.html) this specific question: > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **Miss Manners** > The president’s spouse is a private citizen with no official rank, and thus is properly addressed, in writing and in person, as Mrs. Washington…However, courtesy accords precedence to her, or to another lady serving as the president’s hostess. This was referred to, in the era of more complicated and more rigorously observed precedence systems, as her being “the first lady of the land.” Hence the title. > > And now to the husband. If anything is sillier than “first lady,” it is “first husband” (unless this is necessary to distinguish him from a marital successor also on the scene). He would be the host, and addressed simply by his name and “Mr.” **or another honorific he held, such as general or governor**. > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Except that, in US etiquette (in an instance Miss Manners idiosyncratically refuses to accept, btw, even though we all love her), a former high-ranking official continues to be addressed by his former title. So, Bill would still be “Mr. President”, although he has said he likes “First Dude”. > > The First Lady has, since Dolley Madison’s tenure, had a near-formal role as White House host(ess), and that does deserve a near-formal or fully-formal title. I don’t see what would be wrong with the title of “First Gentleman”. So he would be addressed as **President** Smith as Miss Manners implied. ---
**Author:** ![willthekittensurvive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/46 "2015-06-09T08:14:43Z")
The Dutch prime minister is a confirmed bachelor. > **[Mark Rutte | Personal life](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Rutte#Personal_life)** > > Rutte is single. He is a member of the Dutch Protestant Church. As of 2021, Rutte still taught social studies for two hours a week at the Johan de Witt College, a secondary school in The Hague. Rutte is known to be a big fan of the writing of Robert Caro, especially his 1974 book about Robert Moses, The Power Broker. He drives an old Saab. as far as we know he never had a girl or boy friend. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/47 "2015-06-09T09:00:12Z")
I think the more astonishing thing about Rutter is just barely mentioned at the end of the Wikipedia article about him. After all, the current prime minister of Luxembourg is in a same-sex marriage, while the former prime minister of Iceland was also in one. Gay politicians aren’t that big a deal in Europe anymore, so ones never known to be in any relationship can’t be that controversial. The more interesting thing is that he teaches two hours a week at Johan de Witt College in The Hague (which I think is a high school, in American terms). In the U.S., it’s a surprising thing for the wife of the Vice-President to have a job unrelated to anything political, teaching (part-time, I think) English at a community college. In the Netherlands, the Prime Minister considers education for everyone important enough that he spends two hours a week at it. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/48 "2015-06-09T09:20:59Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > There’s Prince Philip, but I don’t know what social-hosting role he has, if any. Nor what was the role of the late Queen Mother when she was Queen Consort. Drinking, mostly, particularly in the case of the QM. They try not to let Prince Philip loose in public very often as he has a habit of spectacular verbal gaffes, but mostly he supports the Queen who has the hosting role. Again, because the Head of State and Head of Government roles are separate in the UK it means that the Queen can formally deal with State functions without needing to worry about dealing with the new crisis arising in Ubeki-beki-stan-stan-stan. The US President, however, also has to always be wearing his Executive hat and thus having the FLOTUS take some of the strain of formal social occasions makes it more workable. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/49 "2015-06-09T13:19:43Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Drinking, mostly, particularly in the case of the QM. You forgot horse racing. > [@](#): > > They try not to let Prince Philip loose in public very often as he has a habit of spectacular verbal gaffes, I’ve come to the conclusion that this is a deliberate act, to make the Queen look better. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/50 "2015-06-10T16:06:41Z")
[Graham says he would use a “rotating first lady.”](http://www.salon.com/2015/06/10/confirmed_bachelor_lindsey_graham_would_use_a_rotating_first_lady_in_the_white_house/) ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/51 "2015-06-10T16:18:39Z")
highest office held by an openly gay person now is the Houston mayor who is a lesbian. Houston is 5th largest metro area in US. (City is 4th biggest. ) NJ governor was gay but not openly so until just before he quit. No openly gay US senators yet but plenty of congress people. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/52 "2015-06-10T16:29:46Z")
missed edit window, there is an openly gay US senator. Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin was elected in 2012 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/53 "2015-06-10T20:25:28Z")
Graham would have a [“rotating First Lady”.](http://www.salon.com/2015/06/10/confirmed_bachelor_lindsey_graham_would_use_a_rotating_first_lady_in_the_white_house/) > [@](#): > > “I’ve got a sister, she could play that role if necessary,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of friends. We’ll have a rotating first lady.” > > The first lady part of the Executive Office of the President, and has many duties, including acting as a hostess for visiting dignitaries and, generally, being in charge of all White House social and ceremonial events. When the president is unmarried or his wife has been unable to perform the duties required of the first lady, the role has fallen on the shoulders of a close female relative. So there’s that. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/54 "2015-06-10T21:08:38Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > James Buchanan. The role of First Lady was filled by his sister. And, yes, he probably was a “confirmed bachelor” in the sense of being gay. My hunch is that Buchanan was not gay but one of those involuntary celibate men who had little to zilch number of women in his life. Maybe even a virgin. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/55 "2015-06-10T21:16:05Z")
The President of the United States couldn’t get _laid_ if he wanted to? He’d be the only one. Wiki: > [@](#): > > A source of this interest has been Buchanan’s close and intimate relationship with William Rufus King (who became Vice President under Franklin Pierce). The two men lived together in a Washington boardinghouse for 10 years from 1834 until King’s departure for France in 1844. King referred to the relationship as a “communion”,[72] and the two attended social functions together. Contemporaries also noted the closeness. Andrew Jackson called them “Miss Nancy” and “Aunt Fancy” (the former being a 19th-century euphemism for an effeminate man[74]), while Aaron V. Brown referred to King as Buchanan’s “better half”.[75] James W. Loewen described Buchanan and King as “siamese twins”. In later years, Kat Thompson, the wife of a cabinet member, expressed her anxiety that “there was something unhealthy in the president’s attitude”.[72] ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/56 "2015-06-10T21:20:24Z")
I may be wrong but I think a lot more women in the 1800s were virgins until they got married. And I don’t think they would sleep with a guy before marriage just because he was president. But I agree it does seem like Buchanan was gay. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/57 "2015-06-10T22:25:22Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > highest office held by an openly gay person now is the Houston mayor who is a lesbian. Maybe now, but aren’t you forgetting Johanna Sigurdardottir and Per-Kristian Foss, both held the office of Prime Minister; Guido Westerwelle who held the office of Vice-Chancellor of Germany; and others? There’s a whole world outside the US. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2015, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/58 "2015-06-10T22:32:57Z")
Sorry I forgot add “in the US” but as usual the nitpickers around here helped me out!! ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/59 "2015-06-11T00:33:33Z")
I’d find a David Souter candidacy interesting, but it’s kind of late for him to start a political career and I’m not sure what his constituency would be. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2015, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531/60 "2015-06-11T01:24:34Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Did Lindsey Graham get a nice white dress and a party on his Confirmation? > [@foolsguinea](#): > > You’re being a bit of an ass here,\*\* BG.\*\* Yeah, the 50’s called and they want their stupid prejudices back. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-any-confirmed-bachelor-be-elected/721531.md?page=4)