Tim Reid of The Times in Washington
2 for 1 tickets to Casablanca, this coming Monday

Barack Obama says he is an agent of change, a fresh face to lead America, but there is one thing he won’t be boasting about on the campaign trail: that he is related to Dick Cheney.
Lynn Cheney, the US Vice-President’s wife, said she discovered the improbable connection between the African-American Democratic presidential candidate and her husband while researching her ancestry.
Mr Obama - charismatic anti-war son of a black Kenyan goatherd and white Kansan mother - and Mr Cheney - immensely powerful and very white Bush administration hawk - are eighth cousins, Mrs Cheney said.
The Vice-President’s wife said the two men shared an ancestor, a 17th century immigrant from France named Mareen Duvall.
According to Mrs Cheney, Mr Obama - Hillary Clinton’s leading rival for the Democratic nomination - is a descendant of Mr Duvall. The French Huguenot’s son married the granddaughter of a Richard Cheney, who arrived in Maryland in the late 1650s from England.
“This is such an amazing story,” Mrs Cheney said, “that one ancestor, a man that came to Maryland, could be responsible down the family line for lives that have taken such different and varied paths as Dick’s and Barack Obama’s.” Mr Obama’s spokesman Bill Burton quipped: “Obviously, Dick Cheney is the black sheep of the family.” Chances of an Obama-Cheney family reunion are slim.
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they're all related. really. they're in a family together this is rediculous. so maybe this is a bit too far. but look at this. women vies against black man to become the next president, both historically the first in this country... man this is like the jerry springer show. except they make our laws, and get fat off my money.. hmm. start global wars for personal financial gain? politcal shadows that are too dark to ever be seen? this is rediculous just think how related this whole twisted family of government is.
you, ashville, virginia
Who knows...maybe this might placate some of those [impossibly simple minded] people not voting for Obama because he's black.
Look! Obama is related to [white] Dick Cheney!
- not to mention his [white] mother was a Kansas girl and if you search 'Obama and grandparents' in Google images there's a lovely picture of him and his [white] family!
I hope he can overcome the [pathetic] divisions in US Society as a truly inspiring AMERICAN.
Chris, Lancaster, United Kingdom
I think i'ts funny. I'm telling my rebublican friends. They don't believe me. however if barac obana ends up in montana, i will vote for him.
Dorothy M Kimball, Billings, us, montana
....You would think that there are more important points to bring up in the course of presidential elections---not to mention more important things in the world....
Of course, this could very well be a continuation of the ploy to get Clinton in office. After all, if we have some people saying they wouldn't vote for Obama due to his name sounding like Bin Laden's (which is one of the more insipid comments ever made), we'll have more not voting for him due to this.
Rachel, Dallas, Texas
And this matters because?...
Sasha Guirindongo, New York, NY
They look so alike
mohsen, malaga, spain
Even mass murderers [such a Dick Cheyney] have cousins.
JOHN ISH ISHMAEL, BRAMPTON, ON CANADA