One big happy family - Obama and Palin!

[Morgenstern]

I guess this goes here…but it could go there, or over there too.

NEW YORK — President Barack Obama has family ties to none other than Sarah Palin, according to the genealogists at Ancestry.com, a discovery the family history site made when looking for connections between political foes.

The San Diego Union-Tribune - San Diego, California & National News

[silenus]

I wonder who is going to be more upset about the relationship?

[Marley23]

@silenus

I wonder who is going to be more upset about the relationship?

Her supporters will be very angry she’s a Muslim.

[Superfluous_Parentheses]

I don’t think it would be very hard to link anyone to anyone, especially if they’ve had family in the same country for a few generations.

[Marley23]

@Superfluous_Parentheses

I don’t think it would be very hard to link anyone to anyone, especially if they’ve had family in the same country for a few generations.

Much less if several genealogists do research covering 8 or 9 or 11 generations. I think a lot of us would find a name we recognize, at least, if someone did that on our families.

[running_coach]

@Marley23

@silenus

I wonder who is going to be more upset about the relationship?

Her supporters will be very angry she’s a Muslim.

And that she was born in Kenya.

[AskNott]

In Mrs. Palin’s case, it could make a difference. She’s very reluctant to speak badly of family.

[Morgenstern]

This would have been great material for Tina Fey and SNL.

[Skald_the_Rhymer]

@silenus

I wonder who is going to be more upset about the relationship?

Of the two of them? He won’t give a good goddamn. Neither will she, so long as her not-a-single-dropness is not influenced.

Of their supporters? His will use it as a way to mock her; some of hers will be upset at any suggestion she has any non-European ancestry.

[eunoia]

It’s like that story that Céline Dion was related to Madonna through mutual Acadian ancestors; if you go back far enough NOT being related would be the anomaly.

And if you believe Ancestry.com, we all go back to Adam in…4004 B.C. :rolleyes:

[Skald_the_Rhymer]

@eunoia

It’s like that story that Céline Dion was related to Madonna through mutual Acadian ancestors; if you go back far enough NOT being related would be the anomaly.

And if you believe Ancestry.com, we all go back to Adam in…4004 B.C. :rolleyes:

Does Ancestry.com actually said that?

[Leaper]

Well, if Ancestry.com depends in any way, shape, or form on user input, it could. I wouldn’t be surprised if many of its users actually would/did put that in if given a chance.

[dhkendall]

@Skald_the_Rhymer

@silenus

I wonder who is going to be more upset about the relationship?

Of the two of them? He won’t give a good goddamn. Neither will she, so long as her not-a-single-dropness is not influenced.

Of their supporters? His will use it as a way to mock her; some of hers will be upset at any suggestion she has any non-European ancestry.

I don’t know if she has any (recent) non-European ancestry, and I don’t think this proves she does - don’t forget that Obama’s mother is very European in ancestry, “white as the driven snow” if you want to get un-PC about it. I’d be willing to bet big money that the link is through Obama’s mother’s side.

I don’t think Sarah Palin’s supporters can be expected to be upset that a very distant relative married a black man in the early 1960s (and not giving any black blood to Palin), but you never know with that bunch … :rolleyes:

[Marley23]

@dhkendall

I’d be willing to bet big money that the link is through Obama’s mother’s side.

That’s correct:

A genealogist at the Utah-based Ancestry.com, Anastasia Tyler, said Obama and Palin are 10th cousins through a common ancestor named John Smith, a pastor and early settler in 17th-century Massachusetts. Obama is related to Smith through his mother, as is Palin, Tyler said.