DES MOINES - Shock and awe were the sentiments of many at the recent revelation of a profound and unexpected connection between current fifth place Republican presidential candidate, Jeb Bush, and his mother, ninety year old former First Lady, Barbara Bush.

Feelings of astonishment were initially tipped-off when an image of the two Bushes surfaced online in which the two bore stark physical resemblances to one another (see above). The subject gained more attention shortly thereafter however, when it was pointed out that the two members of the now twice presidential family, were pictured with their facial features swapped.

Members of the younger Bush’s campaign staff tried to downplay the incident, with one chief spokesperson quoted as saying, “Mrs. Bush is Jeb’s mother, of course they look alike! They’re direct relatives!” He went on to encourage all who were concerned by the discovery spend some time perusing materials on the subject of heredity (resources provided at the bottom of this article).

Not all were satisfied by this explanation however. The Enquirer Magazine boldly posed the question which has been on minds of many for quite some time now with a headline that read, “Jeb and Barbara: One and the Same?” The related article went on to point out the seemingly all too real fact that there is shockingly little evidence of the two Bushes ever having been seen in different places at the same time.

These revelations have led many to wonder and speculate about the nature of what some have begun to call “Matergate”. While there is an ever growing number of questions and, of yet, precious few answers, at press time there was a theory circulating that one or the other of the two may in fact be an illusion of smoke and mirrors, an act put on for unknown ends.

Resources on heredity recommend by the Jeb Bush campaign:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heredity
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/inheritance/intro/
Mendel’s Principles of Heredity by William Bateson