I just remembered that through old college friends and roommates, I’m probably 2 steps from the heads of Taiwan and Guatemala, 2 from Al Gore (and from there three from Clinton, Bush and W), and 3 from the Aga Khan.
Plus I’m 2 steps from John Whorfin, leader of the Red Lectroids.
My best friend in high school was, and still is, connected to a very intelligent and ambitious guy who became a big shot in the last three Republican administrations. Since I met the guy a few times, and he is on a first name basis with GWB, that would mean two degrees.
One degree: When he was campaigning for his first term, and was virtually unknown to the masses, I attended a cousins party in which the now president was also a guest. We shook hands, exchanged platitudes, and when he left I thought “what a nice guy, too bad he has no chance of winning”. Polls reveal that if he were to run for reelection today he’ll win a third term. :rolleyes: I also haven’t chosen the winning lottery number.
Interesting! My aunt and uncle were friends with Walter Reuther, as well as Vic and Sophia (his brother and sister-in-law, I believe). They used to go out for dinner and drinks, and the Reuthers sometimes spent the weekend at my aunt-and-uncle’s home. This was all before my time, but I heard plenty of hair-raising stories.
Small world, indeed.
I’ve done work at the home of a local Illinois mayor who is in chummy with much of the state’s Republicans. Through him I can link to Dennis Hastert and through him to GWB and Clinton. It’s actually possible that said mayor has met Bush personally at some events or another but I’ll play it safe and settle for two degrees. Or is that three?
I met George W Bush and got his autograph on a baseball card several years ago when I was with my family at a Texas Rangers game. I had no idea who he was at the time, but my dad recognized him and sent my brother and I over to get autographs.
Also, I’m related to Samuel Lambert, who was on Nixon’s Enemies List because he was the president of the National Education Association. I’ve always thought it was pretty cool that my great-great uncle really pissed off Nixon.
So this means that MissGypsy is five degrees from tomndebb!
This, of course, beings up a whole other direction of discussion… how far are Dopers from each other, outside posting on the SDMB itself? (Should meeting in person at Dopefests count?)
My father was a White House aide during the Johnson administration.
I worked with, was friends with, and took on a “lunch date” one of Bush’s cousins. Funny thing was it took me a bit to realise the connection. This was between the two presidents, so the Texas and family name thing didn’t really “click” for me.
I’m two handshakes away from HM the Queen, on the one reasonable assumption that when she gave Peter Shilton his OBE she at least formally shook his hand. I met him once in Coventry when I needed to move my car up so he could get onto the drive at the B&B where we were both staying. Yes, really.
My state government department director knows me, the department director certainly knows the governor, who surely knows the president (even if the other party). I guess that’s three degrees.
A family member’s ex-girlfriend’s (I think they broke up…they might be trying to work through their issues…I digress) family are good friends with former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara.
If it weren’t for Erskine Hamilton Childers, I wouldn’t be alive today!
Now, this isn’t the Erskine Childers who was executed for rebellious behaviour by the British, but his son of the same name (who apparantly begat a son of the same name himself). It appears that Mr Childers gave my father some good references for his application to work for the Bank, back in the 60s, Mr Childers and my grandfather being aquainted somehow. Childers went on to become fourth president of the Republic of Ireland and Dad to work in the Ulster Bank.
The tenuous link to my own conception being that Dad was transferred to various branches through promotion and ended up working near where Mum worked and the rest is history 
By another tenous link, my father’s aunt was married to the head of UN forces in the Congo, General McEoin, so please someone start a thread about relations in important military positions 
My mother is a direct descendant of the same “Howard” family that gave us William Howard taft and all his relatives.
Not a head of state, but the current premier of Manitoba, Gary Doer, was one of my dad’s football buddies when we lived in Winnipeg. He removed a leech from my foot on a camping trip when I was a kid.
I met the Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec (the Queen’s representative, analogous to the Governor General of Canada) a few weeks ago, when she was attending the unveiling of some sculptures by a metro artist. I imagine she’s met the Queen, so there you are.
I know a lot of people who’ve met the Queen - I guess she’s been around a while. My father owns a company that makes riding clothes which means mixing with the horsey set on occasion and them royals love their horses. Mum and Dad have met The Queen, Charles, Anne, Fergie and various others on many occasions (cocktail parties, generally). They never met Diana, but then she didn’t like horses.
But best of all, my Dad has seen Charles in his boxer shorts. He doesn’t do bespoke tailoring any more, but will make a special effort for Charles. He was invited to go to Highgrove to measure Charles up for some new jodphurs. Once he’d measured him in his undies, Charles said ‘you must stay for lunch.’ Dad mentioned this to Charles’ butler, who said ‘that means you’re having lunch with us lot in the kitchens’. Dad had momentarily forgotten his station as ‘trade’, and has hated the royals ever since.
Do governor’s count?
I’ve been in meetings with three of them. If nothing else they all met personally with the POTUS so I can claim two degrees of seperation to both Clinton and Bush.
I’ve had tea with Queen Liz a few years ago.
I met Stephen Harper at some sort of function years before he was PM (I was dragged by a friend of my mom’s).
When I was a tad, I shook hands with JFK. I was a campaign worker for Scoop Jackson, and met him several times. Of course, “Scoop” never became Prez, but he was one of the most powerful Senators in the nation.
Oddly, I am- along with Annie-Xmas- also related to the Tafts- my Great-grandmother was a Taft. (or was it my great-great? 
eh.)
I am told my ancestors ran a tiny little very backward “semi-autonomous” nation in the Balkan/Carpathian area for quite some time.
My sister has met George Bush (the former President) on a couple of occasions.
I shook hands once with Gerald Ford in a crowd but that doesn’t really count as a meeting.