[spagboll]

I've compiled this:


Mitt Romney
• None


Newt Gingrich
• Scotch- Irish stock according to biography, but census info shows no “off-the-boat” Irish as far back as 8 generations at which point there is no further info
Source: The gentleman from Georgia: the biography of Newt Gingrich


Rick Santorum
• Mother is half-Irish and half-Italian (source wiki)
• But he claims Italian roots exclusively


Ron Paul
• His great grandmother, Margaret Dumont is Irish, landed in New York, worked as a house keeper.
• http://www.mentormob.com//learn/i/20...ry-of-ron-paul


Rick Perry
• None


John Huntsman

• None

Please challenge anything I've stated, or add more if possible

[ThomasFlynn]

....and this is relevant??

As far as I'm concerned, they're just American.

[spagboll]

[Killer Pigeon]

Isn't it amazing how a portion of the American electorate actually care about this sort of stuff when casting their vote...

[Suryavarman]

Originally Posted by Killer Pigeon

Isn't it amazing how a portion of the American electorate actually care about this sort of stuff when casting their vote...

Makes them as bad as the Irish electorate then

[Sir Digby Chicken Caesar]

sometimes I hate the Irish
really, this is a constant source of wtf

[steelcityblues]

What is the OP's view on this?

Does it matter when selecting a candidate, or not?

Me - I certainly couldn't give a rats ass. If a candidate who was related Hitler popped up, but who I felt was honest and forward thinking, I would give that person a vote.

[Benny_Cake]

Originally Posted by Killer Pigeon

Isn't it amazing how a portion of the American electorate actually care about this sort of stuff when casting their vote...

Do they really care about it though? It seems to be the Irish media that makes the biggest deal of it, easy column inches and all that.

[spagboll]

Originally Posted by steelcityblues

What is the OP's view on this?

Does it matter when selecting a candidate, or not?

Me - I certainly couldn't give a rats ass. If a candidate who was related Hitler popped up, but who I felt was honest and forward thinking, I would give that person a vote.

I wouldn't read into it to much, but with that said I'd be very excited if one of them was the son/daughter of parents from cork etc

People's roots are a massive deal in the US, it provides Ireland with a huge amount of our tourism and gets us a word in the US presidents ear at least once a year. JFK is one of my personal heroes so I might be a little emotional about the point

Overal the Irish vote is nowhere near as important as the black vote which transcends many nationalities as does the latino vote. But I would argue that an Irish vote does exist, it just won't be activated in a polarised fashion in 2012

[steelcityblues]

Well, in Ron Paul's case, his 'roots' go back to his great grand mother, so minor at best. He does not strike me as the type of guy who would capitalise on it.

Again - apart from JFK - I think other Presidents who made a big deal about their Irish ancestry did so for political reasons, and not borne out of any great affinity or understanding of our country.

There should be no such thing as an Irish vote, these days. People born and bred in America are Americans, first and foremost.

[RichieC]

Paul to one side, Id rather not be related to any of those loons.

[RichieC]

Originally Posted by steelcityblues

There should be no such thing as an Irish vote, these days. People born and bred in America are Americans, first and foremost.

Unless theyre Israeli...

[Yahew]

Originally Posted by RichieC

Unless theyre Israeli...

I believe that Obama also got 90% of the descendants from Africa vote.

[RichieC]

Originally Posted by Yahew

I believe that Obama also got 90% of the descendants from Africa vote.

Cant really fault them for that tbf.

[Suryavarman]

Originally Posted by Yahew

I believe that Obama also got 90% of the descendants from Africa vote.

95% actually

Originally Posted by RichieC

Cant really fault them for that tbf.

Because McCain/Bush/Palin were idiots or because Obama was black?