McCain's Birth Abroad Stirs Legal Debate

The Washington Post ^ | Friday, May 2, 2008; | Michael Dobbs

[TexasCajun]

The Senate has unanimously declared John McCain a natural-born citizen, eligible to be president of the United States.

That is the good news for the presumptive Republican nominee, who was born nearly 72 years ago in a military hospital in the Panama Canal Zone, then under U.S. jurisdiction. The bad news is that the nonbinding Senate resolution passed Wednesday night is simply an opinion that has little bearing on an arcane constitutional debate that has preoccupied legal scholars for many weeks.

[TexasCajun]

I expect Algore and Howard Dean are already lining up their high-dollar lawyers for a replay of Florida 2000.

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

Where’s the “Not this s***t again” guy?

[MarineBrat]

Since I was born in the “Hawaiian Territories”, does that make me ineligible? I don’t think so.

[NoKoolAidforMe]

Proof positive that neither of them have ever read the Constitution. Then again, most libs have not.

[EggsAckley]

Hmmm......if they’re kicking this around, they’re even more desperate than I thought.

[samtheman]

The dream scenario:

1. McCain picks Duncan Hunter as his VP.
2. McCain/Hunter win the general election.
3. McCain is tossed out by the Supremes for not being a “naturalized citizen”.
4. President Hunter chooses a new VP.

(I know. #1 ain’t gonna happen.)

[weegee]

How about an un-elected co-president returning to the White House? How about a former president who served two elected terms returning for 4 or 8 years as un-elected co-president?

Talk about unconstitutional...

[jalisco555]

Where’s the “Not this s***t again” guy?

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. The Times tried this s**t a few weeks ago. Let's just see the Dems try to disqualify the children of active duty servicemen and women born abroad from being President. It'll be fun to watch. (And yes, I know that the Canal Zone wasn't really abroad back then).

[Polybius]

The Senate has unanimously declared John McCain a natural-born citizen, eligible to be president of the United States.

The Senate is 218 years behind the times.

Naturalization Act of 1790: ...... "the children of citizens of the United States that may be born beyond Sea, or out of the limits of the United States, shall be considered as natural born Citizens".

This is a Democrat political stunt.

[Vigilanteman]

[weegee]

And yet it is “xenophobic” to discuss Obama’s studies abroad as a young muslim.

[jalisco555]

(I know. #1 ain’t gonna happen.)

Neither will #3. The Dems are gonna lose with Obama and we'll be spending the next four years complaining about President McCain's policies.

[weegee]

[jalisco555]

Ah, there he is. Thanks.

[MrB]

To a lib, the Constitution only means what the current supreme court says it means.

[samtheman]

Who do you think he’ll pick for VP?

[Vigilanteman]

I like yours even better!

[MEGoody]

LOL It’s not stirring anything except with those who are desparate to find some way to knock McCain out.

[MEGoody]

(I know. #1 ain’t gonna happen.)

#3 isn't going to happen either.

[jalisco555]

Who do you think he’ll pick for VP?

Pawlenty or Romney. It would have been Jindal if he had won the first time he ran for LA gov and that would have been the Dream Team electorally. Still might happen but I doubt it.