You know that saying you can pick your friends but not your family? Well, what's true for us common folk is true for those folks running for the highest office in the land, too. You see, even presidential candidates like Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama can't escape the curse/blessing of unexpected relatives.
Earlier this week the New England Historic Genealogical Society uncovered distant relatives for all the major presidential contenders. Turns out if you're a Democrat, no matter how you vote, you're voting for the Brangelina Ticket. Those clever genealogists discovered that Obama is related to Brad Pitt and Clinton to Angelina Jolie. Talk about your dream ticket.
On the other side of the aisle, turns out Republican nominee John McCain is related to First Lady Laura Bush. But, yawn, enough about that old codger. Let's act like all the major media outlets and obsess about Hillary and Barack some more. As luck would have it, Brangelina isn't the two Democratic hopefuls' only interesting familial bonds.
Let's start with the senator from Illinois. It was discovered earlier in the campaign that he was cousins with Vice President Dick Cheney, but it appears his roots stretch even higher into the executive branch, or should we say shrub. You see, Obama is related to both Cheney and President George W. Bush.
Poor Barack, he does not seem to be taking this news well. But then, would you? Also on Obama's distant relative list are presidents George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Lyndon Johnson, Harry S. Truman and James Madison as well as British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill and Civil War General Robert E. Lee.
Over in Camp Clinton, they're singing a happier tune. Besides Angelina, Hillary is related to singers Madonna, Celine Dion and Alanis Morissette. You know, I can see the family resemblance -- these are all strong women who aren't afraid to speak their mind and know what to do with a microphone.
Heck, Hill and daughter Chelsea looks so tickled about this news, you'd think they just won the lottery or -- you know -- the presidency. But then, like I said, wouldn't you?
So, anyone you wish you were related to? Any surprises in your family tree? That is, other than your crazy uncle Wally.
Family
neia aiii ooow
Elf singer Enya and my grandfather had the same grandfather which makes her my too distant relative to figure out. And I also have a cousin who was in a black and white version of Tarzan. My aunt is a genealogist and is trying to find a link to Paul McCartney, if she finds anything we figure we have as much right as Heather to a share of his fortune.
(Don't ask and Marlene won't tell)
the Lees
My mothers grandmother was a Lee, as in Robert E. Lee. So somewhere along the lines I'm related to Obama? haha I don't care if it's by the tiniest, thinnest, most distant thread, I am so claiming that!
Why am I voting for Obama? 'Cause he's family, yo. ;)
Who else would I like to be related to? I'd say Angelina, but I'd rather not be related, if you catch my drift. Hmm, I'll have to think about this...
Hmm
I think i saw this story on Hardball last night too. i flip between FoxNEWS (for the giggle factor) Lifetime and MSNBC before bedtime and the three channels are all together. But I digress. Well I'm a decendant of Mary Queen of Scots on one side and a relative of Pancho Villa on the other. Hmm I'm sure if i went to some of those geneology sites I could find more people. I wouldn't mind being related to either Brad or Angelina though. That just means I have hot relatives.
Shelley C
I can't think of anyone famous, but...
Don't leave it at that!
Well, if you really want to know
It happened in Germany. He was shot and buried at a crossroads.
And if they were going by the traditions of the time, his head would have been cut off and the mouth stuffed with herbs (garlic most likely.) Then he would have been put back in the coffin but turned around backwards.
Uhm
gender-biased?
and why is hillary related to artists while obama to politicians? isn't that unfair cos it portrays that obama (a man) is capable of leading the US cos he's related to other (male) politicans while hillary does not seem to have a political/leadership genealogy? if i were a voter easily swayed by impressions, i'd definitely go for obama.
-MJ
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Robert E. Lee
He was the general of the south during the Civil War, right? The side that wanted slavery? A little ironic.
And it reminds me of that 30 Rock episode where everyone finds out that the picture that Toufer has is of his ancestor and Robert E. Lee, rather than Ulysses S. Grant as he had previously thought.
Not Ironic
I meant it is ironic that
I meant it is ironic that Obama, who is black, has an ancestor who fought to try to keep black people enslaved.
Many...
~Talk Derby to me.~
haha
Ethan Allen ...
is about as famous a relative as I have. I am actually a direct descendent.
Although my grandfather (a major genealogy buff) somehow figured out that we're related to Princess Diana ... so distantly, we're in the double digits of cousinage.
I'm also related to the first female lawyer in the Arizona Territory, Sarah Herring Soren, who's father was Wyatt Earp's lawyer (Col. Herring) ... but no one knows who Col. Herring is. He's just known as the guy who was Wyatt Earp's lawyer.
Sadly, I come from a LONG line of lawyers.
For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
It's always our self we find in the sea
Abe Lincoln...
~Talk Derby to me.~
Well.
It's funny actually. I was a recovering Catholic LONG before I became a huge fan of Kate Clinton, but how funny is it that I'm a pro-choice, lesbian, former Catholic AND related to Pope John Paul 1. Sure, we're only 7th cousins but still...
Patti
I'm adopted.
I'm adopted. I have no ancestors.
two kinda interesting connections
My two relations are...
on my mother's side, I'm a descendant of Daniel Boone (well Daniel Boone's brother because Daniel didn't have any children.)
and on my father's side, the french part of our family supposedly goes back to the time of King Arthur and apparently there was a knight from our family line that sat at the round table.
King Arthur wasn't that good...
People who studies Middle Age knows that King Arthur wasn't the great king of the stories, neither his friends. They were a "bit" egoist and always fighting. Sorry for you ;). But at least it's cool to know that far in you genealogic three.
All I know in mine is the name of the parents of my grand-parents (and one of them was Irish). Or, like every french-canadian, a whole bunch of my ancesters were prisoners from France or orphans (is it that? "orphelines") who were forced to come in Nouvelle-France, four hundred years ago. Beautiful family isn't it? ;)
-Zabe- Souris à la vie et la vie te souriras
ah genealogy
My family is Irish, and from the North to boot. There are few records, but suffice to say, the kin were all rebels and probably did their share of blowing things up... and drinking.
In any case, while I love genealogy, I do not put much stock in it. Everyone is related to everyone. Bush is related to a chimp.
Okay, not really, but he bears a striking resemblance... except the chimp is smarter.
hahaha
Yeah, I agree with you... The chimp wouldn't be homophobic or anything else. Why not a chimp for president? At least I can say that because I'm not american... I'd like to see Harper trying to be friend with it!
-Zabe- Souris à la vie et la vie te souriras
wow, weird!
or actually, creepy... my cousin just sent me an invitation to start our family tree!!! I'm doing that right now... sorry, it just seemed weird that I'm doing the same thing heheh... I like Hilary's tree better!! I'd love to be related to Alanis...
my capadocia recaps coming soon: http://capadocia-fan.blogspot.com/
Jack the Ripper
I'm distantly related to Jack the Ripper's first victim
~Elvis Presley~
Jack the Ripper
Well, Elvis730, my aunt believes one of our ancestors was Jack the Ripper!
(Though nothing has been proven)
Taking the long view...
Well... as an evolutionary biologist, I feel the urge to mention that from a certain point of view, we are all quite literally related, and not really that distantly. Also, by the way, strong evidence from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA suggests we're all pretty recently African. Or anyway, all of us have ancestors who came from the land mass that is now known as Africa.
http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/12/5/863
So... I guess Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are related to each other, and also to GW Bush. Not sure what that means though....
Word.
~Talk Derby to me.~
McCain and Laura Bush
I'm related to the same ancestor that they have in common, making me related to both of them as well. I think 7th cousins once removed, and they are 7th cousins to each other...that is not particularly new, the info's been around on the internet for some time, though I guess you might only know it if, like me, you are also on that tree.
I also find it interesting that they only seemed to talk about female relations for Clinton and male ones for Obama. Strange. Statistically that seems unlikely.
And hey, music is life, I'm related to Daniel Boone's sister! Which means we are cousins. Whoohoo! If you are interested at all in genealogy PM me and I'll send you my link!
I wish I were related to Clinton or Obama instead of McCain...
Heya, cousin.
~Talk Derby to me.~
Barack Obama was adopted.
Barack Obama was adopted. He's not actually related to any of those people.
I was wondering why a black man had so many white relatives...
Obama was not adopted
auntie mae
cool!
let me just say that this is so cool!
-MJ
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