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Candidates have curious cousins

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor March 25, 2008 12:44 PM

Barack Obama likes to joke that he and Vice President Dick Cheney are distant cousins.

Now, it turns out that he and the other major presidential contenders share lineage with several other famous historical figures and current celebrities, according to the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

To wit, Obama, whose mother was born in Kansas, has at least six presidents, hailing from both parties, as distant cousins, including President Bush and his father, Gerald Ford, Lyndon Johnson, Harry Truman, and James Madison. Other cousins include Winston Churchill, Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and actor Brad Pitt.

The genealogical society, tracing the family trees of the presidential candidates, said today it also found that HiIlary Clinton has common ancestors with actress Angelina Jolie and Camilla Parker-Bowles, mistress and now wife of Prince Charles. Because Clinton's family has French-Canadian heritage, she is also distantly related to author Jack Kerouac and singers Madonna, Celine Dion, and Alanis Morissette.

On the Republican side, John McCain is a sixth cousin of First Lady Laura Bush, the genealogical society said. Because most of his ancestry is Southern makes "notable connections somewhat harder to trace because of challenges to genealogists in that region," genealogist Christopher Child said in a statement.

Child, while noting that famous cousins are interesting, said "it should not influence voters."

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Because most of his ancestry is Southern makes "notable connections somewhat harder to trace because of challenges to genealogists in that region,". That must be because of the long history of illiteracy and inbreeding down South. Just one big happy, dumb family. The Huckabee States.

Posted by B-ster March 25, 08 06:46 PM
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Southern records were not like New England Vital Records. Many church records were lost to fire and war. First Cousin marriage were also common in New England and it is still legal except for Maine.

Posted by Bob Birely March 25, 08 07:30 PM
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Well i think it should not have any effect on the vote cause if the candidate is ralated to a paticular person it does not mean he or she will build the nation tks.

Posted by Tina March 26, 08 06:51 AM
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"Dumb family", eh?

Interesting that a member of yours has just defined "ignorance".

Posted by Jesse Ames Spencer March 26, 08 09:06 AM
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I CAN SEE THE HEADL...
I CAN SEE THE HEADLINES NOW: "BARACK OBAMA DESTINED TO BECOME PRESIDENT," is cousin to six previous U.S. heads of state. Or so say researchers at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, who claim that Obama is distantly related to George W. Bush, his father George Sr., Gerald Ford, Lyndon Johnson, Harry S. Truman and James Madison. Not exactly the cream of the presidential crop, Truman excepted. And too bad for Barack that there's no Lincoln tie-in. His supporters would be howling at the moon about his manifest destiny. I'm giddy, dizzy, imagining the potential familial relationships soon to be revealed. Lady killer! George Clooney reveals he's a ...check out the rest of the story at CrabbyGolightly.com. Taking a dim view of celebrity, media and power. cRABBY on 03/26/2008 8:37AM

Posted by CrabbyGolightly March 26, 08 12:19 PM
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Will this lose any faminist votes for Hil? Being related to a drunken wife beater like Kerouac.

That being said, I still like Kerouac much better than Clinton.

Posted by ZP March 26, 08 05:38 PM
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Response to B-ster. You obviously know little about genealogy. Among other things, numerous court records (Southern states) were burned and destroyed during the Civil War. Further, your slur is very revealing...

Posted by TRS April 3, 08 04:55 PM
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B-ster- I beg your pardon,I am from the South and very proud of it. How do you know that there isn't any inbreeding in your area? Don;t say something about a place you probably don't even know anything about.I am a true southern person,born,and raised.I am sorry to know that there are actually people like you who still belive in the past. The past is the past and that os where it needs to stay.This is a new time and era,things in life are bad enough with the economy the way it is. You need to look at your self in the mirror long and hard to see what kind of person you really are.

Posted by t-bell April 15, 09 11:20 PM
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