I

We are related to the president through his mother, former First Lady Barbara (Pierce) Bush and her family, mainly the Pierces and the Marvins.

Bush was outpolled in 2000 by rival Al Gore by 49.9 million to 49.6 million votes while the tally for Florida's slate of electors fell into dispute that was taken up by the courts.

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling enabled Bush to garner 271 electoral votes -- one more than needed -- while Gore collected 268 and one elector from the District of Columbia abstained.

R

When the first returns seemed to confirm this, Hayes went to bed, believing he had lost. But in New York, Republican National Chairman Zachariah Chandler, aware of a loophole, telegraphed GOP leaders to stand firm. The popular vote was 4.3 million for Tilden to 4.0 million for Hayes. Hayes' election depended upon contested electoral votes in Florida, Louisiana, Oregon and South Carolina. If all the disputed electoral votes went to Hayes, he would win; a single one of those votes would elect Tilden.

Months of uncertainty followed. In January, 1877, Congress established an Electoral Commission to decide the dispute. The commission, made up of eight Republicans and seven Democrats, determined all the contests in favor of Hayes by -- surprise! -- eight to seven. The final electoral vote: 185 to 184.