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Not THAT Charlie Wilson

They are both named Charlie Wilson. They both served in the U.S. Congress. They are both aging Democrats from Middle America. But Rep. Charlie Wilson, elected to Congress last year from Ohio, wants the world to know that he is not the congressman featured in the new movie.

He has nothing to do with the earlier Wilson in fact. And Friday, he went so far as to issue a press release entitled "Charlie Wilson of Ohio is not Charlie Wilson of Texas."

Freshman Wilson is increasingly being mistaken for Famed Wilson, though so far he seems to be taking it well. Last year, when Freshman Wilson used his credit card to pick up a copy of the book that inspired the movie, the bookstore clerk did a double take.

“Are you him?” the clerk asked, incredulously.

Alas, no.

Later, a Spanish journalist called his congressional office asking for a photo to use with a story about the movie.

Again, the answer was no; the office had no photo of that Wilson.

On the surface, Freshman Wilson appears to have little in common with Famed Wilson. Freshman Wilson is new to Congress. Famed Wilson represented Texas in Congress from 1973 to 1996. Famed Wilson graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and went on to push a covert CIA mission to supply weapons to Afghans fighting the Soviets. Freshman Wilson graduated from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science and ran funeral homes. Famed Wilson has a penchant for suspenders. No word yet on Freshman Wilson's sartorial preferences. Famed Wilson, 74, underwent heart transplant surgery in October. Freshman Wilson, 64, is in good health.

Interestingly, even Famed Wilson had his own doppelganger. When he first arrived in Congress three decades ago, he served with former Rep. Charles H. Wilson, yet a third eponymous congressman, who represented California in Congress from 1963 to 1981.

 

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