The Missing 189
A man who thinks too much about his ancestors is like a potato—the best part of him is underground.
Henry S. F. Cooper
The Associated Press (via reporter Glen Johnson from Boston) has chosen to alert us to the fact that two of Mitt Romney's great-great grandfathers practiced polygamy. Porcupine knows this because today's Cape Cod Times featured the story prominently, complete with photographs of statues raised in the honor of one of them. Interestingly, while featured on Page 3 of the print version of the newspaper, it is entirely missing from the on-line version, so Porcupine is unable to furnish a link to that story, but includes this one from ABC News instead (HERE). It isn't entirely new information; it has long been reported that Romney's forebears, who were members of the Mormon church of that era, practiced polygamy, which was outlawed by that church in 1890. What is new is the information that there is a statue of Miles Park
romney - location Salt Lake City - and that his great-great grandmother 'used to walk the floor and shed tears of sorrow' according to her diary over the polygamous choice of her husband.
Romney has repudiated polygamy in the best possible way - by being the only Republican top-tier candidate to be married to one woman for 37 years. In fact, since Mitt and Anne Romney went to their high-school prom together, it is unclear if he has ever even dated another woman, much less married one - or two ot three, like McCain and Guiliani.
However, this story raises important questons for the rest of the Presidential field.
Every human being has 32 great-great-grandparents. Porcupine assumes that the Associated Press, by commenting on the lives of three of Mitt Romney's ancestors, is beginning a two year series to bring us the lives and names of the others.
This will be a weighty enterprise for Mr. Johnson and the Associated Press, so Porcupine suggests that they stick with the six so-called 'top tier' candidates - McCain, Guiliani and Romney on the Republican side, and Clinton, Obama, and Edwards on the Democratic side. There may be intriguiging stories there as well. Was the great-great grandfather of Southerner John Edwards a slaveholder? Did he possibly own Kenyan slaves, related to Obama's great-great grandfather? This could be a great teachable moment.
And for all those candidates who claim to not be clear on who ther great-great-grandparents were, or that they thought and did, there can be only one question.
WHAT are they hiding?
Henry S. F. Cooper
The Associated Press (via reporter Glen Johnson from Boston) has chosen to alert us to the fact that two of Mitt Romney's great-great grandfathers practiced polygamy. Porcupine knows this because today's Cape Cod Times featured the story prominently, complete with photographs of statues raised in the honor of one of them. Interestingly, while featured on Page 3 of the print version of the newspaper, it is entirely missing from the on-line version, so Porcupine is unable to furnish a link to that story, but includes this one from ABC News instead (HERE). It isn't entirely new information; it has long been reported that Romney's forebears, who were members of the Mormon church of that era, practiced polygamy, which was outlawed by that church in 1890. What is new is the information that there is a statue of Miles Park
romney - location Salt Lake City - and that his great-great grandmother 'used to walk the floor and shed tears of sorrow' according to her diary over the polygamous choice of her husband.Romney has repudiated polygamy in the best possible way - by being the only Republican top-tier candidate to be married to one woman for 37 years. In fact, since Mitt and Anne Romney went to their high-school prom together, it is unclear if he has ever even dated another woman, much less married one - or two ot three, like McCain and Guiliani.
However, this story raises important questons for the rest of the Presidential field.
Every human being has 32 great-great-grandparents. Porcupine assumes that the Associated Press, by commenting on the lives of three of Mitt Romney's ancestors, is beginning a two year series to bring us the lives and names of the others.
This will be a weighty enterprise for Mr. Johnson and the Associated Press, so Porcupine suggests that they stick with the six so-called 'top tier' candidates - McCain, Guiliani and Romney on the Republican side, and Clinton, Obama, and Edwards on the Democratic side. There may be intriguiging stories there as well. Was the great-great grandfather of Southerner John Edwards a slaveholder? Did he possibly own Kenyan slaves, related to Obama's great-great grandfather? This could be a great teachable moment.
And for all those candidates who claim to not be clear on who ther great-great-grandparents were, or that they thought and did, there can be only one question.
WHAT are they hiding?
posted by Peter Porcupine at 12:35 PM
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