Obama ancestors reportedly owned slaves

WASHINGTON A genealogical researcher says presidential hopeful Barack Obama had white ancestors who owned slaves.

William Reitwiesner, in what he calls a first draft into Obama's roots, says he found the information in 1850 Census records from Kentucky. Obama's father was from Kenya and his mother was a white woman from Kansas.

Reitwiesner says one of Obama's great-great-great-great grandfathers owned a 15-year-old girl and a 25-year-old man.

Reitwiesner says the same records show one of Obama's great-great-great-great-great grandmothers owned a 60-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman.

An Obama spokesman notes that while a relative owned slaves, "another fought for the Union in the Civil War."

Reitwiesner says he also found that two other presidential candidates -- Republican John McCain and Democrat John Edwards -- were descendants of slave owners.

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Obama ancestors reportedly owned slaves