McCain eligibility in question?

If I'm not mistaken, an American military base would be considered sovereign U.S. territory, the same as an American embassy in another country.

Thus, McCain was technically born in this country. He definitely was born to two Americans. He's Constitutionally eligible.

 

This is news fit to print? What a joke. The NYT is really, really slipping.

 

The U.S. has always considered embassies and bases to be American soil. That McCain was born in the Canal Zone is an absolute non-issue with me. He's an American.

 

I heard he's a Muslim.

 

If he can bring it like Mariano he has my vote.

 

The framers were kinda smart. Next line of the clause being debated ", or a Citizen of the United States at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible ..."

So while GW was born in a colony before these United States came into being, he satisfied that other qualification that we haven't had to worry about for a 100 and some years.

 

Not the first time a presidential candidate's place of birth came up.

http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/canada/president.asp

 

So McCain's father was serving our country, had a kid at a U.S. Military base and now there are people crying that that kid is not a real American?

That's a bit of a stretch isn't it?

Let's use some more common sense next time. This debate sucks.

 

There's no questioning if he was a citizen at birth, what's at question is the meaning of the phrase "natural born".
Does it mean that he had to be born within a US state a time? Or does it include US territories?

The strict Constitutionalists/originists on the court, if it was a Democratic candidate running would say that it has to be someone born in the usa (a state). However since its a Republican in question, and the originists on the court are all conservatives for the sake of party peace they will say that the founders intended to include territories as well -- then again, if Scalia, Thomas, Roberts and Alito are bigger fans of Huck then they are McCain, they would need to swing just one vote their way to make McCain ineligible.

 

I'm with most of you, I have no clue how this is much of a debate. His father was stationed (by U.S. officials) in Panama. I'm pretty sure there are no part of a military contract that says "And in the case you father a child with another American citizen while you are abroad, don't expect that kid to be eligible for the office of the presidency." Again, absurd.

Now, that doesn't necessarily mean that this isn't newsworthy. It sounds like a few people (probably on both sides of the aisle) are spending money trying to figure this out 100 percent. That is news, even if there is no debate.

 

Reminds me of:

FRANK: (Interested) There's a Costanza in Tuscany? (Elaine nods) Did he look like me? Did you talk to him?

ELAINE: I didn't talk to anyone - I was just walking by, and I saw the sign, and I thought George might get a kick out of it.

FRANK: I gotta get that picture - it could be my cousin, Carlo.

ELAINE: Who is that?

GEORGE: (Muttering out, not really wanting to talk about his family) When the Costanzas came here, one brother stayed behind.

FRANK: I played with him every day until the age of four - and then we separated.

ELAINE: So, you weren't born here?

FRANK: No. That's why I can never be president.. It always irked me. That's why, even at an early age, I had no interest in politics. I refuse to vote. (Yelling out) They don't want me, I don't want them!

 

If you are a U.S. citizen at birth, you are a "natural-born" citizen.

Born to two U.S. citizens on a U.S. military base, or overseas (like the Niagara Falls example above) would not disqualify someone to be President.

My soon-to-be-adopted daughter, who will have been a U.S. citizen for all but about 10 months of her life, will not be eligible for the presidency, because she will have been naturalized (I will have to take the oath of citizenship for her). Even though she basically will have been raised to be as American as someone who would be natural-born.

However, if we were in China and my wife gave birth there, that child *would* be eligible for the presidency, because both of her parents are U.S. citizens and our permanent residence (and her permanent residence) is in the United States. Therefore, she would be "a natural-born citizen" ... as opposed to a "naturalized citizen," such as my internationally-adopted daughter and Governor Ahh-nuld.