[r9etb]

If the definition of "natural born" were as cut-and-dried as many here claim, the documentation originally offered by his campaign would have been enough to disqualify him.

The proposed definition of "natural born" is nothing more than a matter of conveniently crafted wording in the service of wishful thinking.

The entire birther thing is little more than desperate but lazy people, looking for a magic solution to a problem that really just requires hard work, patience, and a rational and focused political organization.

[wideawake]

The proposed definition of "natural born" is nothing more than a matter of conveniently crafted wording in the service of wishful thinking.

Correct.

And the appeal to Vattel, as I've pointed out, is problematic as well.

Vattel's system is markedly different from ours: the children of non-citizen permanent residents are not citizens under Vattel, but are clearly US citizens under US law.

He himself points out that there are significant real-life exceptions to his ideal definitions of terms.