10.17.2007

Lynne Cheney: VP, Obama are eighth cousins
Obama camp responds to revelation: ‘Every family has a black sheep’



WASHINGTON - Though they may spar across the political aisle, Vice President Dick Cheney is close enough to Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama to call him “cousin.”

Eighth cousin, that is.

Lynne Cheney, the vice president’s wife, revealed this tantalizing bit of political trivia during a television interview Tuesday.

She said she uncovered the long-ago ties between the two while researching her ancestry for her latest book, “Blue Skies, No Fences,” a memoir about growing up in Wyoming.

“This is such an amazing American story that one ancestor ... could be responsible down the family lines for lives that have taken such different and varied paths as Dick’s and Barack Obama,” Lynne Cheney told MSNBC.

According to her spokeswoman, Sen. Obama, D-Ill., is a descendent of Mareen Duvall. This French Huguenot’s son married the granddaughter of a Richard Cheney, who arrived in Maryland in the late 1650’s from England, said Ginny Justice, a spokeswoman for Lynne Cheney.

The vice president’s full name is Richard B. Cheney.

A spokesman for Obama, who wants to be the first black U.S. president, offered a tongue-in-cheek response. “Every family has a black sheep,” said spokesman Bill Burton.

Lynne Cheney did not reference the ancestral ties between her husband and Obama in the book.
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4 comments:

Jack K. said...

Veddy interesting, but irrelavent. tee hee.

Jolynn said...

That is too weird. how is it even possible?

Liza said...

I hope that Senator Obama doesn't have an "inner Cheney" lurking somewhere in his psyche.

Liza said...

jolynn,
I looked at your profile and noticed that you like both Toby Keith and the Dixie Chicks. Aren't they mutually exclusive?

I'm a DC fan, but only since they took on Dubya. When I heard about that, I immediately ordered "Home" and was just blown away by their talent.