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McCain's birthplace prompts queries about whether that rules him out (NY Slimes)
International Tribune ^ | 28 Feb 08 | Carl Hulse Published

Posted on 02/28/2008 3:40:11 AM PST by SkyPilot

WASHINGTON: The question has nagged at the parents of Americans born outside the continental United States for generations: Dare their children aspire to grow up and become president? In the case of Senator John McCain of Arizona, the issue is becoming more than a matter of parental daydreaming.

McCain's likely nomination as the Republican candidate for president and the happenstance of his birth in the Panama Canal Zone in 1936 are reviving a musty debate that has surfaced periodically since the founders first set quill to parchment and declared that only a "natural-born citizen" can hold the nation's highest office.

(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; Government
KEYWORDS: canalzone; foreignborn; marines; mccain; nytimes; panama; president; seebreaking
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To: expat_panama
If elected, McCain would be the first president with dual citizenship.

Who cares? He would still be a natural-born US citizen.

61 posted on 02/28/2008 5:41:26 AM PST by palmer
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To: Fundamentally Fair

Yaaa. And when the Nazis bombed Pearl Harbor...


62 posted on 02/28/2008 5:43:32 AM PST by Holicheese (Beware your friendly air defenses!)
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To: sbMKE

Exactly.

Another softball by the NYT that McCain is going to hit out of the park. Imagine the millions of Americans who were born at military hospitals overseas.

And, just asking? Was Obama’s father even an American? I thought he remained a Kenyan citizen.


63 posted on 02/28/2008 5:43:39 AM PST by fightinJAG (Rush was right when he used to say: "You NEVER win by losing.")
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To: libertylover

>> BTW, by daughter is in exactly the same situation, born in England while I was stationed there on U.S. Air Force duty <<

We conquered England now? Kewl. I hope your daughter does become president someday (if she shares your political views), but, gratuitous as it is, McCain was *also* born on American soil.


64 posted on 02/28/2008 5:44:46 AM PST by dangus
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To: SkyPilot

Panama was not a US territory but anyone born to American citizen parents, even on Mars, is a natural born citizen.


65 posted on 02/28/2008 5:45:21 AM PST by icwhatudo
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To: SkyPilot
John McCain...


66 posted on 02/28/2008 5:45:27 AM PST by bill1952 (I will vote for McCain if he resigns his Senate seat before this election.)
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To: icwhatudo

Nor was the canal zone US territory.


67 posted on 02/28/2008 5:45:52 AM PST by icwhatudo
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To: TexasCajun

The 14th Amendment talks about “naturalized” citizens. The Constitution refers to “natural born” citizens.

The NYT would do well to realize those are two different terms.

John McCain did nothing except be born to be an American.

In fact, I can’t wait until the outrage against the NYT’s anti-military tripe gets spun up!


68 posted on 02/28/2008 5:46:01 AM PST by fightinJAG (Rush was right when he used to say: "You NEVER win by losing.")
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To: Grampa Dave

LOL! That is really funny!! - Bill


69 posted on 02/28/2008 5:47:09 AM PST by bill1952 (I will vote for McCain if he resigns his Senate seat before this election.)
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To: Williams

Bring it on!

October in February!


70 posted on 02/28/2008 5:47:28 AM PST by fightinJAG (Rush was right when he used to say: "You NEVER win by losing.")
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To: maverickusna2009
The funny thing is, if they push this, then the Rasul v. Bush ruling about Gitmo being US soil should be considered.
71 posted on 02/28/2008 5:48:51 AM PST by Gondring (I'll give up my right to die when hell freezes over my dead body!)
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To: padre35

They have a two tiered shareholder’s voting status.
IOW, most of the shareholders can’t vote squat.

cute.


72 posted on 02/28/2008 5:49:21 AM PST by bill1952 (I will vote for McCain if he resigns his Senate seat before this election.)
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To: petercooper

Good question.

And was Obama’s father a U.S. citizen?


73 posted on 02/28/2008 5:49:24 AM PST by fightinJAG (Rush was right when he used to say: "You NEVER win by losing.")
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To: expat_panama

It doesn’t matter what Panama thinks, does it?


74 posted on 02/28/2008 5:51:23 AM PST by fightinJAG (Rush was right when he used to say: "You NEVER win by losing.")
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To: SkyPilot

Here’s an elaboration of the argument:

http://muddythoughts.blogspot.com/2008/02/panmanchurian-candidate-mccain.html

Executive Summary:

1. The 14th Amendment and matching regulations limit citizenship to natural born and naturalized.
2. John McCain was born in 1936 in the Canal Zone to citizen parents.
3. 8 USC 1403(a) declares naturalized citizenship in 1952 on persons born in the Canal Zone to citizen parents.
4. Therefore 8 USC 1403(a) applies to John McCain at age 16.
5. Therefore John McCain is a naturalized citizen.
6. The Canal Zone was not part of the United States.
7. Therefore John McCain was not born in the United States.
8. Therefore John McCain is a citizen not born in the United States.
9. Therefore John McCain is not a natural born citizen.
10. Article II of the Constitution states to be President a person must be a natural born citizen.
11. THEREFORE John McCain is not eligible to be President of the United States under Article II of the Constitution.
12. THEREFORE John McCain should be disqualified from running for President and should be decertified and removed from all present and future Presidential ballots, and his past results should be disallowed.


NOTE: That’s a cut-and-paste from the URL cited above. It is NOT my argument.


75 posted on 02/28/2008 5:52:00 AM PST by FreedomCalls (Texas: "We close at five.")
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To: yldstrk

Perhaps not a ploy by Hillary but by Obama or just the Dems in general. Remember what they did to Jack Ryan in Illinois forcing him out of the race and giving Obama a free ride to his senate seat. The court documents of his divorce were sealed until the Dem machine used their clout to pursuade the judge to open the divorce records.


76 posted on 02/28/2008 5:53:17 AM PST by BobinIL
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To: engrpat
Using the logic of the NYT’s my father wasn’t a US citizen as he was born in Arizona in 1907 five years before it became a state. It would have come as a big surprise to him.

The question is not one of citizenship -- no one argues McCain is not a citizen. It is a question of whether or not ne meets the requirements of a "natural-born citizen."

77 posted on 02/28/2008 5:54:15 AM PST by FreedomCalls (Texas: "We close at five.")
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To: fightinJAG
The 14th Amendment talks about “naturalized” citizens. The Constitution refers to “natural born” citizens. The NYT would do well to realize those are two different terms.

Because naturalized citizens are by definition NOT natural-born citizens.

78 posted on 02/28/2008 5:56:08 AM PST by FreedomCalls (Texas: "We close at five.")
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To: Quickgun

Now, you have insulted the Enquirer!


79 posted on 02/28/2008 5:58:54 AM PST by Grampa Dave ("Ron Paul and his flaming antiwar spam monkeys can Kiss my Ass!!"- Jim Robinson, Sept, 30, 2007)
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To: SkyPilot; All
The NY Slime reporters are idiots.

He is a natural born US Citizen,even if he was born outside of the US.His Parents where US citizens and stationed in Panama on a US base.

He also lived in the US for more then the required 14 years,to be eligible to run for President.

My son was born in Germany,but is a US citizen,since his Dad was in the Military.

I on the other hand could never run for President since I am not a natural born US citizen.

80 posted on 02/28/2008 5:58:57 AM PST by Mrs.Nooseman (Proudly supporting our Troops and Allies!!!!)
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