Posted on 03/22/2004 7:33:47 AM PST by Radix
Try the words ``President Arnold Schwarzenegger'' or ``President Jennifer Granholm'' out for size.
The two governors - of California, from Austria; and of Michigan, from Canada, respectively - are just two of the many foreign-born U.S. citizens who would be eligible to run for president under a constitutional amendment that Sen. Edward M. Kennedy [related, bio] said yesterday he is ready to support.
Add to the list former secretaries of state Madeleine Albright (Czechoslovakia) and Henry Kissinger (Germany), commentators Arianna Huffington (Greece) and David Frum (Canada), and Gen. John Shalikashvili (Poland).
``Most American historians believe that it's probably an anachronism in any event, due to the time, and I would (support the change),'' Kennedy said on ``Meet the Press.'' Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah has also voiced his support for such an amendment.
The Constitution now bars from the Oval Office anyone who is not a natural-born U.S. citizen.
Kennedy made the comment after being shown a clip of the Austrian-born California governor saying the proposed constitutional amendment ``sounds really good.''
But asked if he would support a presidential run by the Republican who is married to his niece, Maria Shriver, Kennedy sidestepped the question.
``Arnold's able; he's smart; and he's doing a good job out there,'' Kennedy told host Tim Russert. ``I'm still hopeful that as things go along, Maria will have more and more influence on Arnold.''
Political observers are divided on how a constitutional amendment would fly.
``I think in general people think the provision is anachronistic. People who become citizens should have all the rights of citizenship,'' said Paul Watanabe of the University of Massachusetts at Boston, a Utah-born child of immigrant parents. ``Most people would be prepared to say that's a judgment that could be exercised by the electorate rather than mandated by the Constitution.''
But Angelo Codavilla of Boston University - an Italian-born naturalized citizen - said he believes there is an inherent American distrust of foreign influence that will prevent change.
``People are not going to support it because there is no reason to. We have not been deprived of great talent because of this provision. There is no positive drive behind it,'' Codavilla said.
While there is speculation that Kennedy might be backing the amendment in order to allow someone like Granholm a place on the Democratic ticket, Watanabe said, there is probably insufficient time in this year's election cycle to allow the two-thirds votes in both the House and Senate and the two-thirds ratification by the states that an amendment would require.
Also on yesterday's show, Russert quizzed Kennedy about whether he planned to run for re-election in Massachusetts in 2006.
``I have every expectation to,'' Kennedy said.
Kennedy also blasted President Bush's Iraq policy on the one-year anniversary of the war. He charged Bush with waging the war for ideological reasons and timing its start to benefit Republicans in the midterm elections.
``This administration had made its mind up with regards to Iraq long in the early part of its administration,'' Kennedy said. ``It was a part of their ideology and a part of their politics. That is the reason that they went to war.''
Kennedy predicted that Sen. John F. Kerry [related, bio] will beat President Bush [related, bio] in November with 52 percent of the vote.
You think?
Let's do the "Kerry test" on this one and ask Teddy to name five credible American historians that think it's an anachronism...
If he can make the statement, he must have studied up on it...
And you can bet he's on a whole bunch of meds including crap like Paxil. That will really screw you up. As if he wasn't screwed up enough already.
This is rather scary considering the INS has been Kennedy's domain since Clinton installed him there. It was specifically under Kennedy's watch that the terrorists were allowed into this country, and continued to stay unchecked with expired visas.
Several years ago there was an article in the Wall Street Journal about how people are allowed to "immigrate" into this country. It seems the INS has no problem approving the entry of criminals and people with entitlement issues from socialist and repressed countries. It was implied that that the INS agency did this with abandon around election time specifically because these people who were nationalized were more inclined to vote a liberal ticket, based on their native origins. It was also written that the INS did not want to allow people who had money who wanted to come to this country to retire because it was believed that by their being able to take care of themselves, they would be bringing with them a conservative mindset. That the article last week from USA Today stating that the make up of America will place "white" people as being the minority in the next fifty years only proves the INS has a specific diversity program in mind for the make up of the USA, and its political leader (Kennedy) is its acting divining rod. Democrats want control at all costs - even if it means undermining our national security.
I found that comment by Ted Kennedy offensive in a way. I am trying to imagine if, say, a prominent woman was married to a man of a different political background. I think if someone were to speculate about how maybe the husband could influence the wife, he'd be accused of being patronizing, a woman is allowed to think for herself, she doesn't need her husband's approval, etc. Maybe Arnold should be influencing Maria... of course, that would just show he is a Neanderthal who fails to appreciate a woman's ability to think for herself, right? Frankly, though, I've never understood how someone with sincerely held, deep political beliefs can be married to someone with dramatically opposing views. I mean, no one agrees on every point, but I have to say, Mary Matalin's marriage with James Carville just makes me doubt her sincerity.
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