Is Obama's candidacy constitutional?

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | June 10, 2008

[Man50D]

Bloggers are raising questions about Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's qualifications to be U.S. president, because of the secrecy over his birth certificate and the requirement presidents be "natural-born" U.S. citizens.

Jim Geraghty, reporting on the Campaign Spot, cited the "unlikely" but still circulating rumor that Obama was born not within the United States, but elsewhere, possibly Kenya.

Geraghty defined the concerns most clearly, stating: "If Obama were born outside the United States, one could argue that he would not meet the legal definition of natural-born citizen … because U.S. law at the time of his birth required his natural-born parent (his mother) to have resided in the United States for '10 years, at least [f]ive of which had to be after the age of 16.'"

He then points out Ann Dunham, Obama's mother, was 18 when Obama was born "so she wouldn't have met the requirement of five years after the age of 16."

Geraghty continues: " (Interestingly, apparently there isn't much paperwork on Obama's parents' marriage. 'Obama: From Promise to Power,' page. 27: 'Obama later confessed that he never searched for the government documents on the marriage, although Madelyn (Obama's maternal grandmother) insisted they were legally married.' Also note that Obama's father apparently was not legally divorced from his first wife back in Kenya at the time, a point of contention that ultimately led to their separation.)"

The reports released to date show Obama was born in Honolulu to Barack Hussein Obama Sr., of Nyangoma-Kogelo, Kenya, and Ann Dunham, of Wichita, Kan.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Another “Hmmmm!” moment. Didn’t the dems pass something in congress to make it clear that Johnny McCain was an American citizen, after a somewhat similar situation arose about his birth location? Maybe they were just setting the stage to do the same thing for obammy????????

[gridlock]

One wonders if the whole McCain kerfluffle was not just an attempt by Obama supporters to move this issue off the table.

[Ulysse]

That kind of questions should rather be raised in September or October...Unless it’s a CLINTOON operation before the dem’s Convention

[gr8eman]

This could be her angle. It could be a good one and I am sure her operatives are looking into it.

[The Duke]

If the only way Obama can be defeated is on some technicality then he might as well go ahead and hop into the Oval Office.

[jan in Colorado]

Shouldn’t one of the qualifications to be President be that you love this Country?

[Perdogg]

The McCain issue was started by our “buddies” at Newsmax before Obama was even in the race.

[kms61]

I predict this will go nowhere.

[Shady]

But WHY blow this to the media lapdogs now? The Queen should wait until August, that way she’s not spending any money.

[GAB-1955]

The two situations are only superficially similar. McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone, an organized territory of the United States (which means it was under U.S. law) and both his parents were United States citizens.

If Obama is found to be born in Kenya, and these allegations are true, then he is ineligible for the Presidency and the Vice-President or Vice-President-elect would assume his post. There is no law that can change this. However, it is possible under a court order to compel Hawaii to reveal portions of his birth certificate.

Let's attack Obama based on his inexperience and ideology first.

[Girlene]

Interesting. From the article,

According to FindLaw.com, which is cited by Geraghty, the requirements that were in force from Dec. 24, 1952 to Nov. 13, 1986, encompassing the time of Obama's birth, state, "If only one parent was a U.S. citizen at the time of your birth, that parent must have resided in the United States for at least 10 years, at least five of which had to be after the age of 16."

I think this only applies if Obama was born abroad to one American citizen parent(mother) and one non-American parent(his father). If it's confirmed he was born in Hawaii, I don't think any of this matters.

[C210N]

So, now I’d like to know: Which Hawaiian hospital? What’s the delivery doctor’s name?

[Graybeard58]

If the only way Obama can be defeated is on some technicality then he might as well go ahead and hop into the Oval Office.

If (big if) it were shown that Obama were born in Kenya it would do one of two things, either remove him from the ballot, (riots in the streets of major U.S. cities) or install Hillary as nominee (riots in the streets of major U.S. cities) either way it would also fuel the rampant rumors that he is indeed muzzie.

I don't care how the communists are defeated in November, as long as they are defeated.

[samtheman]

I’d be willing to strike a compromise:

McCain and Obama are BOTH barred from the presidency.

Both the dems and the pubs have to come up with a candidate at their conventions this summer.

(I wonder who the dems would pick.)

[Berlin_Freeper]

A birth certificate is such a mundane document. Why would Obama insist on hiding it??

[barb-tex]

But if Obama was born in Kenya, He is ineligible since his mother was 18 at the time of his birth she could not have lived in the US for ten years after 16.
like Kerry's military record, makes one wonder what he wishes to conceal. This ought to be in the Bureau of Vital Statistics, which is not private.
barbra ann

[Pearls Before Swine]

How does he get a passport?

[Gondring]

Another “Hmmmm!” moment. Didn’t the dems pass something in congress to make it clear that Johnny McCain was an American citizen, after a somewhat similar situation arose about his birth location? Maybe they were just setting the stage to do the same thing for obammy????????

That was my thought at the time. Looks like it's playing out.

[apt4truth]

Obama better come up with a birth certificate soon stating he was born in Hawaii or he is toast. There is no reason to hide such a document unless of course there is some reason to hide it. If he forces a subpoena to release it then he will look like a fool.