After reading the Drudge Report that Senator McCain (pictured above as an infant) may not meet the US Constitution as to the eligibility requirements to serve as president or vice president. I did some research on the net and offer the following for discussion.
Francis Steffan
John McCain Ineligible To Be President
Mon Jan 28, 2008 03:45
John McCain was born August 29, 1936 in the Panama Canal Zone, to two U.S. citizens. It’s a common misunderstanding that the zone was a U.S. territory – in fact, the U.S. had lease rights, but not territorial rights.
The US Constitution states, “No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty five years, and been fourteen Years a resident within the United States.”
No law or court ruling has ever established the precise definition of a natural born citizen. It is generally agreed that a natural born citizen of the United States is any person born in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia.
Wikipedia offers the following on this topic.
Presidential Candidates born outside of the United States
Three major candidates have sought the Presidency who were born outside the United States: Barry Goldwater, George Romney and John McCain. Barry Goldwater, who ran in 1964, was born in Arizona while it was still a U.S. territory. Although Arizona was not a state, it was a fully organized and incorporated territory of the United States, making it debatable whether or not he was born “outside” the United States. George Romney, who ran in 1968, was born in Mexico to U.S. parents. Romney’s grandfather emigrated to Mexico in 1886 with his three wives and children after Utah outlawed polygamy. Romney’s parents retained their U.S. citizenship and returned to the United States in 1912. Romney was 32 years old when he arrived in Michigan. William Loeb, the late publisher of the Manchester Union Leader dismissed him as “Chihuahua George.” John McCain, who ran in 2000 and is running in 2008, was born at the US military base Coco Solo in the Panama Canal Zone to U.S. parents. The Panama Canal Zone was under United States sovereignty between 1903 and 1979 but was unincorporated.
Questions. Do you think Senator John McCain will be challenged as to his compliance with the Constitution requirement to run for president or to serve as a vice president?
Is this why Mike Huckabee is still hanging around?
Could Mitt Romney, with his 255 pledged delegates, resurface?
Just posted on the Drudge Report.
http://drudgereport.com/
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/28/america/28mccain.php
email reply:
FASCINATING READ, LARRY! J&J
Folks.
The Drudge Report has just posted today’s NY Times coverage of this issue. Very interesting. Why wasn’t this challenge raised early on in when the Republican field had a wider field of participants?
This already came up in 2000, when McCain was running in the primaries against Bush.
From my understanding, legal scholars agree that it is not a problem.
It is nothing more than a tempest in a teapot.
If you are born on a U.S. military base or installation anywhere in the world, you are considered a native-born U.S. citizen. So if your pops is a Marine and you were born in Okinawa, you’re a citizen. If your pops is a soldier, and you were born in Germany, you’re a citizen.
Fascinating photo!
I never knew McCain had two dads.
If you are born abroad and your parents are US citizens abroad, your citizenship status stems from them. By US Law. Irrespective of what your parents do for a living or employment. End of Discussion.
Larry, you have taken “gadfly” to a whole new level.
I am not a McCain fan, however his grandfather and father served this country with great distinction. Not to mention McCain’s service. To malign Sen. McCain’s citizenship is outrageous!
I continued to be amazed at how poorly we treat children and the veterans of this country!
This more than the silly season.
Juice readers. As I am currently reading John McCain’s 1999 book entitled “Faith of my Fathers” where he states that he was: “born in Canal Zone and Coco Solo Air Base. His father transferred to New London, CT less than three months later”..he goes on to say that he has “no memory of his time in Panama.”
In describing his dad’s roots Sen. Mc Cain wrote that his dad “was no more a native of Council Bluffs (Iowa) than I am a native of Panama.”
I was surprised to see this appearing as a developing story on the Drudge Report which led me to creating this post based on some Google research.
I do not recall any discussion on this isse when he ran in 2000 nor during any of the current debates.
email response:
Not if his parents are on assignment by the US Government. Military people experience this frequently. My son was born in Cambridge, England, while I was assigned to the RAF Sculthorpe Air Base. He was registered at the US Embassy in London, where we had to appear. At the age of about 8 or 10 years he appeared before a Federal Judge in Lincoln, Nebraska and chose to decline his English citizenship. I am a little fuzzy on the details.
anon 10:50 am
Show some respect. That photo depicts both his dad and his grandfather, both decorated and high ranking members of the US Navy
Admiral Bill Halsey commissioned the destroyer USS John S. McCain after his grandfather in 1953.
According to Sen McCain’s book at one time “one million soldiers, sailors and airmen reported to Sen. McCain’s father” when he had command of the Vietnam War
anon 12:36 pm
Gadfly you say? I caught this story on the Drudge Report, a major internet source and engaged in a little due diligence. While I don’t think the story has merit it was picked up by the New York Times today. They are not the sharpest media source in the country but I am sure you know who they are.
If you prefer not reading this post, or any other on the Juice blog, simply scroll on by.
Notice that we did not delete your remark. That’s called fair and balanced consideration by our team
For those who did not watch FOX news tonight Democratic co-host Alan Colmes raised this issue with one of their guests saying that this is not a slam dunk. He’s wrong. But my point is that we did cover a breaking report.
I think you are a gadfly but I also think you are fair. if this were Red County my comment would have never made it in the blog.
anon 11:38 a.m.
Thank you!
Have a nice weekend,Larry