Dick Cheney and Barack Obama Are Related

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It’s true. I didn’t even need a joke in the headline, it sounds so absurd. But according to genealogical research Lynne Cheney did while writing her book, Barack Obama is the descendant of someone named Mareen Duvall, a French Huguenot. Duvall’s son married the granddaughter of a Richard Cheney, a man who, seven to nine generations later, would see his family line produce the worst vice president in the history of the United States. Obama and Cheney are eighth cousins.

Say the cliche with me. Only in America.

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PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

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