Phil Reisman

The Fine Art Of Political Spin

November

I thought this was pretty funny. A reader e-mailed this fantasy damage control scenario, involving a fictional ancestor of a certain Chappaqua resident. It’s not too far-fetched.

POLITICAL PACKAGING

Dr. Judy Wallman, a professional genealogical
researcherdiscovered that Hillary Clinton’s great-great
uncle, Remus Rodham, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889. The only known photograph of Remus shows him
standing on the gallows. On the back of the picture is
this inscription: ‘Remus Rodham; horse thief, sent to Montana
Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana
Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives,
convicted and hanged in 1889. Judy e-mailed Hillary Clinton for comments.
Hillary’s staff of professional image adjusters sent back the
following biographical sketch:
‘Remus Rodham was a famous cowboy in the Montana
Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition
of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the
Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of
his life to service at a government facility, finally
taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic
function held in his honor when the platform upon which
he was standing collapsed’ And THAT is how it’s done, folks !

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 13th, 2007 at 3:40 pm by Phil Reisman.
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One Response to “The Fine Art Of Political Spin”

wanda January 17th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Being a genealogist myself, I decided to check this out. IT IS A BUNCH OF GARBAGE.
I have a paid membership to Ancestry.com, no Remus Rodham comes up on that site, which includes all Federal Census, social security, family trees,birth and death records, etc.. No Remus Rodham could be found. Same for FamilySearch.com (the Morman site).
I have researched Hillary’s family tree.
Here is the correct information, starting with the parents, etc. given on Hillary’s web site as to her family.
I find them first in a 1881 Census of England
Jonathan Rodham 37
Isabella Simpson Rodham 31
Children:
Thomas Bell Rodham 12
Margaret Rodham 10
Isabella Simpson Rodham 8
Joseph Rodham 6
William Robert Rodham 4
Jonathan Rodham 3
Hugh Rodham 1
I next find them on a New York Passenger list as follows:
DATE PF ARRIVAL; WAS 9 OCT 1882, on ship named Alaska. From England to New York.
Rodham, Bella (Isabella) 31 matron departed England
Rodham, Thos. 11 child, departed England
Rodham, Marget 9 child, departed England
Rodham, Joseph 7 child, departed England
Rodham, Wm 6 child, departed England
Rodham, Hugh 2 child, departed England (Hillary’s Father)
Rodham, Fanny infant, departed England
1900 Census of Scranton Ward 2, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
Jonathan Rodham 56 born 1844 England THIS IS WHERE YOU WILL FIND HER GREAT UNCLES,NO REMUS ANYWHERE!
Isabella S. Rodham 50 born 1850 England
Margarett Rodham 29 dau born 1871 England
Joseph Rodham 25 son born 1875 England
William R. Rodham 24 son born 1876 England
Hugh Rodham 20 son born 1880 England
Elizabeth Rodham 18 dau born 1852 England
Robert B. Rodham 16 son born 1884 Pa
Wade Rodham 14 son born 1886 Pa
Ethel Rodham 12 dau born 1888 Pa
George B. Rodham 10 son born 1890 Pa.
Hillary Diane Rodham, dau of HUGH ELLSWORTH RODHAM born 1911 and Dorothy Emma Howell.
Hugh Ellsworth Rodham, son of HUGH SIMPSON RODHAM born 1879 Kyo, Durham, England
Hugh Simpson Rodham, son of JONATHAN RODHAM born 1843 Holmside, Wagtain cottages, Durham, England. and wife Isabella Simpson Bell born 1849 Durham, England.
Jonathan Rodham, son of JOSEPH RODHAM born 1812 Beamish, South Mour, Durham, England amd Elizabeth Scurfield.
Her great Uncles were only ages 1 through 12 in 1881. Really too young to be the criminal , horse thief, in Montana in 1885.
The great great uncles lived in Durham, England.
I remember the name “Uncle Remus” from my childhood.
Another person said the original picture which was attached to this story had a Texas city and state printed on it. It also had the real name of the man who was hanged.
LET’S TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT. NO MORE GARBAGE OF THIS NATURE, ABOUT ANYONE ON EITHER POLITICAL PERSUASION.

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