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Legal debate still surrounds McCain's birth in the Panama Canal Zone
Austin Statesman ^ | July 5, 2008 | Eunice Moscoso

Posted on 07/05/2008 3:29:00 PM PDT by Plutarch

Presumptive Republican nominee's birth location revives debate over the constitutional requirement that limits the presidency to 'natural born' citizens.

By Eunice Moscoso
WASHINGTON BUREAU

Saturday, July 05, 2008

WASHINGTON — Is Sen. John McCain a natural born citizen? Or is he ineligible to be president?

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee was born Aug. 29, 1936 — not within the 50 United States, but in the Panama Canal Zone, where his father, a Navy officer, was stationed.

His birth location has revived a long-standing debate over the constitutional requirement that limits the presidency to "natural born" citizens.

The problem is that the framers never defined the term.

At least two lawsuits filed in federal court claim that McCain's birthplace disqualifies him from becoming president. The issue has been simmering in the blogosphere for months, including discussions on prestigious legal forums. A Google search for "John McCain" and "natural born citizen" yields 57,000 hits.

McCain's campaign advisers say they are not worried. The campaign commissioned prominent scholars from the political left and right to research the question and say they are confident that the senator from Arizona qualifies for the nation's highest office.

His Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, agrees. So does the U.S. Senate, which passed a nonbinding resolution declaring that McCain is a natural born citizen, constitutionally eligible to run for president...[excerpted]

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


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; birthcertificate; bravosierra; canalzone; certifigate; issues; mccain; naturalborn; naturalborncitizen; panama
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The Mainstream Media is very concerned that a candidate fulfill the Constitution's natural born requirement.
1 posted on 07/05/2008 3:29:02 PM PDT by Plutarch
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To: Plutarch

Expected counterattack to defuse examination of Obama’s provenance.


2 posted on 07/05/2008 3:32:07 PM PDT by xDGx
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To: Plutarch

Fair and balanced. Not a peep about Obama’s forged birth certificate. So it begins.


3 posted on 07/05/2008 3:32:08 PM PDT by neodad (USS Vincennes (CG 49) "Freedom's Fortress")
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To: Plutarch

Must mean there’s more than just smoke to the story of Obama’s forged birth certificate.


4 posted on 07/05/2008 3:32:13 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (If it is going to take 10 years, shouldn't we get started? Drill here, drill now, pay less.)
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To: Plutarch
I may disagree with McCain on a lot of things but attacks on this and his Military Career is getting pretty damn lame.


5 posted on 07/05/2008 3:32:50 PM PDT by darkwing104 (Lets get dangerous)
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To: Plutarch

I say disqualify both of them. I’m sure there are plenty of people in both parties who would love to have a do-over.


6 posted on 07/05/2008 3:33:21 PM PDT by Repeal 16-17 (Let me know when the Shooting starts.)
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To: Plutarch

This is a non-issue. Both McCain’s parents were U.S. citizens. If the media is really concerned about natural born citizen requirements, they should look into B, Hussein Obama’s birth records and his mother’s residency requirements.


7 posted on 07/05/2008 3:33:51 PM PDT by TommyDale (I) (Never forget the Republicans who voted for illegal immigrant amnesty in 2007!)
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To: Plutarch

I dont know what Malarkey is but this article is a whole load of it.


8 posted on 07/05/2008 3:33:54 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: Plutarch

Oh nuts . I guess neither of these guys is a natural born citizen . OVERS !


9 posted on 07/05/2008 3:34:14 PM PDT by kbennkc (For those who have fought for it , freedom has a flavor the protected will never know)
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To: Plutarch

We went all through this when George Romney was running.

It's all been settled. Born in a military hospital or a US Mother and US Father overseas on official military orders for an overseas assignment with dependents. Registry of US Birth Born Abroad and the US Embassy for a State Department Certificate of birth of a native born citizen.

I Know! Both my Daughters were born while I was assigned overseas.


10 posted on 07/05/2008 3:35:26 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country! What else needs said?)
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To: Plutarch

“The problem is that the framers never defined the term.”

Actually, the very first session of Congress defined the term, and McCain clearly qualifies without any doubt.

There’s plenty of doubt about Obama.


11 posted on 07/05/2008 3:36:16 PM PDT by devere
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To: Plutarch

Yep, but they won’t look into (rumors of) Obama’s Kenyan birth.


12 posted on 07/05/2008 3:37:34 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar (Who would the terrorists vote for?)
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To: devere; All

Both of McCain’s parents were U.S. Citizens so therefore, he is a U.S. Citizen even if he is born in Russia.

Am I right or wrong? All military kids born overseas are U. S. Citizens.


13 posted on 07/05/2008 3:38:55 PM PDT by no dems (B. Hussein is an Obamanation)
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To: SE Mom

Okay, this is pretty much a dead duck of an issue, but it looks like the Obama team wants this out there again.

So what could the strategery possibly be?


14 posted on 07/05/2008 3:39:52 PM PDT by Bahbah (Typical white person)
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To: Plutarch
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee was born Aug. 29, 1936 — not within the 50 United States, but in the Panama Canal Zone, where his father, a Navy officer, was stationed. His birth location has revived a long-standing debate over the constitutional requirement that limits the presidency to "natural born" citizens. The problem is that the framers never defined the term.

U.S. law defines the term and U.S. law addressed specifically the issue only one year after the U.S. Constitution was ratified.

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".

The liberal news media is 218 years behind the times ...... whenever it suits their political agenda.

15 posted on 07/05/2008 3:40:49 PM PDT by Polybius
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To: All

Might as well accept the obvious - people of the USA - someone is shoving Obama down our throats -

I thought it was a peoples’ choice - apprently not so much.


16 posted on 07/05/2008 3:40:55 PM PDT by imintrouble
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To: Plutarch

What no mention of Obama’s forged birth certificate?


17 posted on 07/05/2008 3:41:46 PM PDT by Red Steel
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To: no dems
Am I right or wrong? All military kids born overseas are U. S. Citizens.


Are all military personnel citizens? If not then I guess the location of the birth would come into play.

18 posted on 07/05/2008 3:42:21 PM PDT by deport ( ----Cue Spooky Music---)
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To: Plutarch
They are simply trying to side track, off set, hide, and obscure the same level of scrutiny applied to Barack Hussein Obama who may have an even worse problem if his birth cirtificate is not confirmed.

BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA - CHANGE YOU CAN COUNT ON, BUT DON'T WANT

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH ABOUT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA


NOBAMA '08 SIGHTED IN IDAHO, JULY 2008

19 posted on 07/05/2008 3:43:44 PM PDT by Jeff Head
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To: Plutarch

Just means they’re shaking in their boots over the recent revelations about Hussein’s Birth Certificate.

Color me amused.


20 posted on 07/05/2008 3:49:00 PM PDT by EggsAckley
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