Schwarzenegger Says Foreign-Born Citizens Should Be Able to Run for President

AP via TBO ^ | February 22, 2004 | Erica Werner

[John W]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Arnold Schwarzenegger, making his Sunday talk show debut as governor, said that he and other foreign-born citizens should be eligible to run for the White House and that President Bush can carry California in November if he does more to help the state. The Austrian-born former bodybuilder, in the capital for his first meeting with fellow governors, said he has not thought about running for president in the future. The Constitution says only natural-born citizens of the United States are eligible for the country's highest office.

The Republican governor said anyone who has been in a U.S. citizen for at least 20 years - as he has - should "absolutely" be able to seek the presidency. A constitutional amendment proposed by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, would make that possible.

"There are so many people in this country that are now from overseas, that are immigrants, that are doing such a terrific job with their work, bringing businesses here, that there's no reason why not," said Schwarzenegger, who came to America in 1983.

"Look at the kind of contribution that people like Henry Kissinger have made, Madeleine Albright," he said, referring to two former secretaries of state who were born in Europe.

Schwarzenegger said on NBC's "Meet the Press' that he has been too busy with California's problems to contemplate a future run for the White House. "I have no idea, I haven't thought about that at all," he said.

Schwarzenegger reaffirmed his opposition to the gay marriages that are taking place in San Francisco. He said Mayor Gavin Newsom's refusal to obey the state's law against same-sex marriages could set a bad precedent.

On Friday, the governor said he had directed California's attorney general to take action to stop the marriages.

"In San Francisco it is license for marriage of same sex. Maybe the next thing is another city that hands out licenses for assault weapons and someone else hands out licenses for selling drugs, I mean you can't do that," Schwarzenegger said on NBC.

"We have to stay within the law. There's a state law that says specific things, and if you want to challenge those laws then you can go to the court," he said.

Schwarzenegger, who was sworn in Nov. 17 after winning a special election to replace recalled Democratic Gov. Gray Davis, is making his first visit to Washington since taking office.

He is attending the winter meeting of the National Governors Association. State leaders were to meet with Bush at the White House on Monday.

Schwarzenegger campaigned during last year's recall election on a pledge to be "the Collectinator" and get more money for California from the federal government. Bush's budget, however, did little to help the state.

Schwarzenegger said he did not feel let down by the president and said Bush can win California in November - if he does more to help the state financially. Bush lost California by 1.3 million votes to Democrat Al Gore in 2000.

"I think it is totally directly related to how much he will do for our state, there's no two ways about it," Schwarzenegger said. "Because Californian people are like a mirror, you know that what you do for them they will do back for you," Schwarzenegger said.

"If the federal government does great things for California this year I think there's no two ways about it, that President Bush can have California, he can be elected, I'm absolutely convinced of that."

[John W]

Somehow "Schwarzenegger" was dropped from beginning of the title of the article.Can you put it there?

[templar]

Arnold Schwarzenegger, making his Sunday talk show debut as governor, said that he and other foreign-born citizens should be eligible to run for the White House and that President Bush can carry California in November if he does more to help the state.

Anyone confused about which side of the coin the Terminator is on should no longer have any confusion.

[Piquaboy]

It is fine just the way it is. Suppose someone decided to send a ringer in years and years before hand?

[BillaryBeGone]

My first thought when I heard the governor mention Kissinger and Halfbright was, "Dear God. What an absolute, unmitigated disaster if either one of them had ever occupied the Oval Office as the President!" What a frightening thought.

[Defender2]

Two words for this garbage only,....NO WAY!!!!

[Stu Cohen]

Why is this a surprise?

You don't even have to be a citizen to vote.

I imagine 20 years from now there will be a bill put forth that does away with the whole citizenship requirement altogether.

We'll just have an "undocumented President" on one of those new renewable 4 year Guest Worker Programs.

Seem perfectly rational.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

"Look at the kind of contribution that people like Henry Kissinger have made, Madeleine Albright,"

Poor Arnold just disqualified himself in the intelligence test.

[TomGuy]

U. S. President Koffi Anan.

Thank you, Oran.

[end sarcasm]

With Oran pushing this bill and George W pushing more amnesty for illegals, our sovereignty is rapidly eroding. Even the Dem candidates advocate turning our security and defense over to the UN.

[alwaysconservative]

I totally agree. Actually the first person I think of when this is raised, and which would keep me from approving it: Jennifer Granholm.

I would also like to see a President who spent most of his or her formative life here, UNLIKE John F'n Kerry.

[Citizen Soldier]

Thank goodness our Founding Fathers had the foresight to add the caluse that a person MUST be American born to become the POTUS. The British had the Georges as rulers, from the Hanover family, Geo I did not speak English only German and lived in England very little, Geo II had English as his second language, and Geo III went mad, Geo IV involved in Catholic Emancipation Act adding to the British headaches.

[thoughtomator]

I really don't understand why a natural-born American isn't good enough for some people.

[Citizen Soldier]

Oh yeah, Mad Maddie's famous statement - what good is it to have a big military if we never use it? or her theory that when every nation has nuke capabilities then the world will be safer by leveling the field?

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Statement: "Says Foreign-Born Citizens Should Be Able to Run for President"

Response: Of course! Mugabe for President! Why not a Gay Couple? A convicted felon? Vincente Fox? Nelson Mandela? The ghost of Bush's recently dead dog? I love it!!!!!!!!!!

[Citizen Soldier]

Easy answer to that. Some Americans hates Americans!

[winker]

Your steroids are adversely reacting with your "free radicals" swartzee better get help immediately. Kissinger BWHAHAHAHAHA! Not in a Million years.......NEVER!

[Godebert]

"Look at the kind of contribution that people like Henry Kissinger have made, Madeleine Albright," he said, referring to two former secretaries of state who were born in Europe.

Madeleine Albright? Is Arnold nuts? Arnold the Abortionist gun-grabbing liberal should go back to Austria...and take his jack-booted Kennedy relatives with him.

[monkeywrench]

"...and that President Bush can carry California in November if he does more to help the state."

How can he do more until they drastically cut spending?

[Abcdefg]

They don't need to send in ringers. We have plenty of home grown socialists and traitors.
Just look at our Congress.

[lavrenti]

If that were possible in the early 19th Century, we could have been stuck with Napoleon Bonaparte.

He considered the USA as a place of exile. He certainly would have found his share of supporters in American.
As it was, one of his nephews did come to America, and later became an able statesman.