If you read my statement, “That is not true,” in context, the thing that is not true is Cruz’ claim that some believe only NBCs can produce NBCs. It is Cruz’ integrity or intelligence that I am questioning. Since he most likely IS very smart, it comes down to his honesty. I.e.: his statement that some so called birthers believe that only NBCs can create NBCs is a conniving lie.
You call it a secondary point but it isn’t. It has direct bearing on your main argument, which is that Cruz outperformed Trump in the debate. If you call creating an idiotic and fundamentally dishonest strawman, for the creepy purpose of dragging Trump’s mother into the debate, ‘winning,’ then you’re using that word as a liberal would. Lie, cheat, scam or steal, providing the liberal comes out on top, he ‘won.’
Conservatives have a more principled definition.
Your clarification, btw, does nothing to help Cruz’ cause. He didn’t say some radical birthers believe a genealogy must be traced back to the country’s original citizens. He said that they believe only NBCs can produce NBCs—an absurdity on its face.
Seems to be what this thread is talking about... look it over and get back to me.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/3382200/posts
The term "or a Citizen of the United States at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution" referred to loyal Americans who lived in the thirteen colonies at the time of the Revolutionary War, thus establishing the first generation of United States "citizens," upon which future "natural born" citizens would be created. The Founders, under Article II, allowed these original U.S. citizens to be eligible for the Presidency.
As understood by the Founders and as applied to the U.S. Constitution, the term "natural born citizen" derived its meaning less from English Common Law, than from Vattel's "The Law of Nations."
They knew from reading Vattel that a "natural born citizen" had a different standard from just "citizen," for he or she was a child born in the country to two citizen parents (Vattel, Section 212 in original French and English translation).