Le 10 principali dinastie politiche americane

Nella politica americana, "dinastia" è una parolaccia. I Padri Fondatori, dopo tutto, si sono dichiarati contrari con tutto il cuore al fatto che il potere scorre attraverso il sangue piuttosto che il voto, dichiarando nella Costituzione degli Stati Uniti che "nessun titolo di nobiltà sarà concesso dagli Stati Uniti". La narrazione di una delle famiglie politiche più importanti del paese, i Kennedy, evita persino la temuta D-word. Piuttosto che riferirsi al clan del New England come a una dinastia, è dipinto romanticamente come Camelot.

In realtà, tuttavia, ci volle tanto tempo perché l'inchiostro si asciugasse sulla Dichiarazione di Indipendenza quanto la politica americana per diventare un altro tipo di azienda familiare. Nel 1848, ad esempio, più del 16% dei seggi del Congresso era occupato da qualcuno il cui parente aveva precedentemente ricoperto la carica [fonte: Kieley ]. Inoltre, uno studio del 2006 ha rilevato che i membri del Congresso che servono più di un mandato hanno una probabilità del 40% che qualcuno nella loro famiglia finisca in seguito al Congresso [fonte: Alexander ]. Ciò non implica che questi alberi genealogici siano pieni di mele marce, ma possono coltivare relazioni e connessioni che possono aiutare fratelli, cugini e suoceri a vincere le elezioni come con qualsiasi operazione commerciale di successo.

Le successive dinastie americane certamente compresero come mettere in comune le proprie risorse e convertire i loro cognomi in marchi politici impressionanti e di lunga durata .

1. Dinastia Cuomo
2. Dinastia Daley
3. Dinastia Rockefeller
4. Dinastia Taft
5. Dinastia Frelinghuysen
6. Dinastia Harrison
7. Dinastia Roosevelt
8. Dinastia Adams
9. Dinastia Kennedy
10. Dinastia Bush

Tecnicamente, il potere politico dovrebbe passare attraverso una famiglia per almeno tre generazioni per qualificarsi come dinastia, ma i Cuomo Democratici di New York ottengono un passaggio poiché il patriarca Mario era un americano di prima generazione [fonte: Hess ]. Figlio di un droghiere italiano immigrato, Mario Cuomo è cresciuto nel Queens e alla fine è diventato governatore di New York nel 1983. Suo figlio maggiore, Andrew, è stato direttore politico del governatore Cuomo fino a quando il politico anziano è stato sconfitto alle urne nel 1994.

L'esperienza probabilmente è stata utile quando Andrew ha deciso di candidarsi a governatore come suo padre, soprattutto considerando che ha vinto le elezioni del 2010. E parlando di dinastie, alcuni anni prima, nel 2003, Andrew ha tagliato legalmente i legami con la dinastia Kennedy quando il suo matrimonio con Kerry Kennedy si è sciolto. Il giovane Cuomo alla fine potrebbe sostituire l'eredità politica di suo padre poiché sta valutando la possibilità di candidarsi alla Casa Bianca nel 2016 [fonte: Hartmann ]. E chi ha fatto trapelare questa possibilità alla stampa? Adorando papà Mario, naturalmente.

Nel dicembre 2010, Richard M. Daley è diventato il sindaco più longevo di Chicago , avendo guidato la città dal 1989. Ha rivendicato il titolo da suo padre, Richard J. Daley, che ha governato la città del Midwest dal 1955 alla sua morte nel 1976 [fonte: MSNBC ]. Sebbene ci fossero una manciata di sindaci eletti in carica tra il padre e il figlio, i Daley governarono Chicago per un totale di 43 anni, modellando in molti modi la Windy City nel suo stato moderno e vivace [fonte: Reiss ]. Dopo l'annuncio del giovane Daley che non avrebbe cercato la rielezione per un settimo mandato, i titoli dei giornali salutavano la "fine di una dinastia".

Anche l'altro figlio di Daley, William M. Daley, è determinante nel governo. Quando l'ex capo di stato maggiore della Casa Bianca Rahm Emanuel si è dimesso dall'amministrazione Obama per impadronirsi del seggio di sindaco di Chicago lasciato libero da Richard M. Daley, William si è diretto a Washington, DC, per prendere il suo posto.

The Rockefellers didn't make their name in politics, but the vast fortune John D. Rockefeller amassed with his Standard Oil Company would help bankroll future family members' elections [source: Hess]. The elder Rockefeller, in fact, had no interest in politics, and his only son, John D. Rockefeller Jr., was far more interested in investing wealth back into society rather than influencing people through political office. Nevertheless, Rockefeller's marriage to Abby Aldrich, daughter of a Rhode Island senator, was portrayed as a politically savvy union.

John and Abby's son, Nelson Rockefeller, shared a birthday with his prestigious grandfather and appeared to have inherited his ambition from an early age [source: PBS]. In 1959, Nelson Rockefeller became the Republican governor of New York following a characteristically well-funded campaign. He would never reach his goal of climbing his way to the Oval Office, however. In 1974, following the resignation of President Nixon, Gerald Ford appointed Rockefeller his vice president but abandoned Rockefeller when reelection rolled around.

Great-grandson Jay Rockefeller served two terms as governor of West Virginia. After that, he was elected to the U.S. Senate and, as of 2012, has been reelected four times.

Just because political ambition runs in a family doesn't mean those expected to campaign necessarily share common dreams of electoral glory. Such was the case for President William Howard Taft, who came from a prominent Cincinnati family and later referred to his 1908 White House race as "one of the most uncomfortable four months of my life" [source: Beschloss and Sidey]. The portly lawyer-turned-president served one term, lost reelection and was later appointed Chief Justice of the United States by President Harding in 1920.

Unlike his reluctantly political father, Robert A. Taft was far more intent on reaching the Oval Office. The Ohio leader served as a U.S. senator and unsuccessfully put his name in the hat for the Republican nomination for president three separate times [source: U.S. Senate]. Years later, third-generation Robert Taft Jr. also won a seat in the Ohio state legislature before moving on to Congress. Most recently in 2005, however, former Ohio Governor Bob Taft -- great-grandson of William Howard and son of Robert Taft Jr. -- sullied the family reputation when he was criminally charged with failing to report gifts and paid outings he received in office [source: Cole].

In 1720, evangelist Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen arrived in colonial New Jersey from Germany, and his family would remain in the eventual Garden State for generations to come. The Frelinghuysen clan first became involved in U.S. politics way back in 1793 when Theordorus' grandson Frederick won a Senate seat after leading American troops in the Revolutionary War and serving in the 1779 Continental Congress [source: Brown]. Since then, seven generations of Frelinghuysens have represented New Jersey on the state and federal level [source: Kitchin]. The late Peter Frelinghuysen, for instance, completed 11 terms as a U.S. Congressman, legislating from 1953 to 1975; son Rodney Frelinghuysen has represented the same congressional district as his father since 1995.

Although the Frelinghuysen line may not roll off the tongue or attract as much nationwide prestige as the Bushes and Clintons, it's certainly carries a cachet at home. Schools, streets, a township and multiple buildings around the state are named after the original New Jersey natives [source: Kitchin].

Like the Frelinghuysens of New Jersey, the Harrison family got its start in American politics during the nation's infancy. The first Harrison served in Congress in 1793, and six more would go on to claim seats in a total 20 congressional sessions [source: Bó, Bó and Snyder]. The Harrisons also enjoy the rare distinction of sending not one, but two, of its bloodline to the White House . Former Virginia Governor William Henry Harrison became the ninth U.S. president in 1841, but his tenure lasted only 32 days since he died from a cold that developed into fatal pneumonia.

After working as an Indiana senator, grandson Benjamin Harrison beat out incumbent Grover Cleveland in 1888. Known as "Little Ben" for his short stature, the second Harrison presidency only lasted a single term, due in large part to a third-party challenge from Theodore Roosevelt's Progressive Party. In the race for reelection, the formerly defeated Democrat Grover Cleveland came back around and reclaimed victory in 1892 [source: Beschloss and Sidey].

Many political dynasties travel through immediate families, often flowing from father to son to grandson, or from husband to wife. The Roosevelt connection was much more diluted but nevertheless pivotal in the nation's history. In 1900, Theodore Roosevelt won the vice presidency on William McKinley's presidential ticket, and took over executive reins himself when McKinley was assassinated by an anarchist in September 1901 [source: Miller]. Stepping down from office in 1909, Roosevelt got the political itch once again and fruitlessly ran once more in 1912 on the third party Progressive ticket nicknamed the Bull Moose Party.

Meanwhile, Theodore Roosevelt's niece Eleanor married his fifth cousin Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1905. After a term as governor of New York, FDR became president in 1932 and would return to office three more times, longer than anyone else in American history. Not long into his fourth term, FDR died, leaving some to speculate that Eleanor Roosevelt would pick up the political torch, but she declined the Democratic nomination for Senate [source: Hess]. Two of the Roosevelt sons, James and Frank, later were elected to Congress representing California and New York, respectively, but their political careers wouldn't progress beyond the House of Representatives.

The Adams have been called "America's first dynasty," although the family's political heft would peak and fade out prior to the 20th century. Founding Father John Adams worked his way up from a humble upbringing and deftly wheeled and dealt with France and England at the close of the tumultuous American Revolution . But John Adams' vice presidency was considered a lackluster affair, second only to his single term as president [source: Shesol].

The New England family had a chance to burnish its presidential legacy when the oldest son, John Quincy Adams , took office in 1825. But he seemed to have inherited his dad's poor leadership skills, and the sixth president's performance was considered as bad as that of the second. Afterward, however, the younger Adams served admirably in Congress as a staunch abolitionist [source: Shesol]. Great-great-grandson Charles Francis Adams III marked the last in the family line to pursue public office, eventually being selected by President Herbert Hoover for Secretary of the Navy [source: Hess].

Initially, John F. Kennedy wasn't supposed to be the son destined to become President . Wealthy financier Joseph P. Kennedy had planned to bankroll the future campaign of Joe Kennedy, the oldest of his four boys, but those patriarchal designs were dashed when the 29-year-old pilot was killed in a plane crash over the English Channel [source: Reuters]. In the face of that tragedy, the political buck was passed down to the next-oldest son, John, leaving U.S. Attorney General for Robert and a Massachusetts Senate seat for the youngest, Edward [source: Romano].

With the help of the Kennedy fortune, John and Robert both fulfilled their father's dream but didn't survive long enough to complete their legendary role. John was assassinated in 1963 while president, and Robert was assassinated in 1968 while seeking the Democratic presidential nomination . Edward Kennedy unsuccessfully challenged Jimmy Carter for the Democratic ticket in 1980. Spending the rest of his career in the U.S. Senate, the so-called "Liberal Lion" nevertheless carved out a Congressional record as one of its most influential members and its fourth-longest serving legislator (1962 to 2009) [source: U.S. Senate].

In 2011, when Edward Kennedy's son Patrick retired from his post as a U.S. Representative of Rhode Island, it signaled the end -- or at least a distinct lull -- of the Kennedy political dynasty. For the first time since 1947, no Kennedy went to work in the U.S. Capitol.

Americans may not romanticize the Bush family in the same legendary manner ascribed to the Kennedys, but they arguably are the most successful political dynasty of the 20th century. In 1952, Prescott Bush was voted in as a senator from Connecticut, and his son, George H.W. Bush moved down to Texas and followed in his father's footsteps winning a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives [source: Beschloss and Sidey]. In 1980, newly elected President Ronald Reagan kicked off the first of two terms with Bush as his vice president . Boosted by the popularity of the Reagan administration, Republican Bush succeeded the former Commander-in-Chief in 1988, but lost to Democrat Bill Clinton in 1992. Meanwhile, Prescott's grandsons George W. and Jeb were paving their own political inroads toward becoming governors of Texas and Florida, respectively.

In 2000, in a historically close election that hinged on fewer than 600 votes in Florida, George W. Bush reignited the dynasty with his narrow victory. When George W. Bush reached his term limit in 2008, he and his father had occupied the first or second most powerful positions in the U.S. government for 20 out of the previous 28 years. Some suspected that younger brother Jeb might court the 2008 Republican nomination , but he demurred. And with the 2016 elections and beyond already looming on the horizon, another family member has surfaced as someone to keep an eye on: George P. Bush, Jeb's son who reportedly has been groomed for the political stage from a young age [source: Ball].

Author's Note: Top 10 American Political Dynasties

As much as America adheres to a no-royalty policy, it's mighty interesting to notice just how much power has tended to run in families (not to mention the stateside excitement with William and Kate's royal wedding, but that's another article). From the get-go in the United States, politics has been treated like another business enterprise in many ways, and from that perspective it makes sense that certain families would take to it and build their empires. Just as the retail industry has the Walton family, for instance, Republican politics has the Bush family. Political dynasties also tend to follow common patterns of staking out a geographical area (Massachusetts for the Kennedys; New York for the Cuomos) and concentrating influence to lay a foundation to seek out the pivotal roles -- i.e., governorships, Senate seats -- that often pave the way to the White House.

Also, there are some family names that have been left off the list. That's right; the U.S. has so many political dynasties to choose from, you can't boil them all down to a 10-point list.

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