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No Family Picnic Plans for Cheney and Obama

VP gives wide berth to his ties to 'Cousin Barack'

By Katherine Thompson,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 26, 2007 8:45 PM CDT

(Newser) – "Cousin Barack? No. No, we haven't. We haven't had the opportunity to talk about it," Dick  Cheney told the press today, when asked whether he had spoken with Barack Obama about the fact that the two men are distant cousins, AFP reports. "I didn't know whether that would help him or hurt him," said Cheney, "So I thought I'd probably stay away from it."

This suggeston that blood is not always thicker than water came courtesy of Cheney's wife Lynne, who noticed the intertwining family trees while researching her memoir. Obama reacted to the news of their shared 17th-century ancestor with humor, pointing out that "Every family has its black sheep."

Lynne Cheney, wife of Vice President Dick Cheney, revealed earlier this month that her husband is distantly related to democratic Illinois senator Barack Obama. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)
Lynne Cheney, wife of Vice President Dick Cheney, revealed earlier this month that her husband is distantly related to democratic Illinois senator Barack Obama. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)   (Associated Press)
Vice President Dick Cheney speaks at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy Weinberg Founders Conference, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007, in Lansdowne, Va. Cheney said on Friday, Oct. 26 that he has not spoken with Barack Obama about the fact that they are distantly related. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
Vice President Dick Cheney speaks at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy Weinberg Founders Conference, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007, in Lansdowne, Va. Cheney said on Friday, Oct. 26 that he has not...   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks to a crowd of supporters during a campaign stop Friday, Oct. 26, 2007, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks to a crowd of supporters during a campaign stop Friday, Oct. 26, 2007, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)   (Associated Press)
A black sheep grazing with the herd.
A black sheep grazing with the herd.   ((c) ndrwfgg)
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