You do realize that this definition excludes every single Jew in the United States, don't you?It's quite simple. All Jews (and some non-Jews with Jewish ancestry) can claim Israeli citizenship should they choose. meadsjn thinks that a Natural Born Citizen must "have no potential claim to citizenship in any other country". That would, by definition, exclude all Jews.
I would like to hear that rational.
As well as everyone who had an Irish grandparent?Sure did - they were swept up in his net, for the same reason. Anyone with an Irish grandparent has a claim on Irish citizenship.
I don't see where anyone mentioned grandparents
I'm sure meadsjn didn't mean to exclude Jews, descendants of the Emeral Isle (and undoubtedly many, many others). But this is the problem I have with birtherism; good intentions, unintended consequences. Better to follow what the Constitution actually says than try to pretend otherwise.
The Heritage Guide to The Constitution
The third qualification to be President is that one must be a "natural born Citizen" (or a citizen at the time of the adoption of the Constitution). Although any citizen may become a Member of Congress so long as he has held citizenship for the requisite time period, to be President, one must be "a natural born Citizen." Undivided loyalty to the United States was a prime concern. During the Constitutional Convention, John Jay wrote to George Washington, urging "a strong check to the admission of Foreigners into the administration of our national Government; and to declare expressly that the Commander in Chief of the American army shall not be given to nor devolve on, any but a natural born Citizen." Justice Story later noted that the natural-born–citizenship requirement "cuts off all chances for ambitious foreigners, who might otherwise be intriguing for the office."
Prior to the Kenyan/Indonesian commie muslim pissant, the only president who did not meet the "two citizen parents plus being born on American soil" requirement, was Chester A. Arthur. Several journalists kept the heat on Arthur during his presidency, due to just one of his parents being naturalized after his birth. Arthur ordered all his personal papers burned before his death (one year and nine months after leaving office), so this issue never got clarified in his case.
If ever any doubt existed about the requirement of "unquestionable allegiance" vs. "divided loyalty", this current Kenyan/Indonesian commie muslim pissant provides the most glaring example of what happens when America elects a president with less than absolute loyalty to the USA.
As far as I'm aware, we have not had a Jewish candidate for president yet, so this same discussion over divided loyalty would and most likely will take place if ever such is the case.
As far as your example of the (future) child of Irish immigrants:
The United States Oath of Allegiance (officially referred to as the "Oath of Allegiance," 8 C.F.R. Part 337 (2008)) is an oath that must be taken by all immigrants who wish to become United States citizens. The current oath is as follows:
I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.[1]
I understand why this discussion bothers people who think their half-Mexican, or half-any-other offspring, should be eligible to the presidency. The same concern over "divided allegiance" will be ever-present. They care less about conserving the USA, than ensuring that their half-alien offspring has a shot at continuing the dismantling of the US Constitution.