Comments on: McCain "Natural Born" Question Going Before Judge

[jbparsons]

I was born in Japan to two natural born citzens, one in the military, both covered by status-of-forces agreements. My birth certificate came from the US Embassy in Japan and was signed by a member of the US Consular Service. I was born a citizen (naturally).

This is just an attempt by a few to deny the right to the highest office to an entire group of Americans simply because those few don''t like an individual member of that group.

[jbparsons]

I was born in Japan to two natural born citzens, one in the military, both covered by status-of-forces agreements. My birth certificate came from the US Embassy in Japan and was signed by a member of the US Consular Service. I was born a citizen (naturally).

This is just an attempt by a few to disenfranchise an entire group of Americans simply because those few don''t like an individual member of that group.

[brianbwb-2009]

It is a bit late for this question to arise. Even though I will never vote Republican, raising this question after the primaries, now that McCain is the GOP candidate, forces the Republican party to try to skirt the constitutional issue, this means that the supreme court will be forced to either re-interpret the law to allow McCain to run, or force the Republicans to choose a less popular candidate. Either scenario is not good for the nation.

[czborn]

Whether you like it or not the facts are....
The Canal Zone was not a U.S. Territory. A natural born citizen is one born on U.S. soil or territory. Children of U.S. military born overseas are naturalized citizens because of their U.S. parents and not natural born citizens. McCain was not born on a military base but that doesn''t even matter because he would still be considered a naturalized citizen. All CZ born children were told they could never become President of the U.S. Why would it be any different for John McCain. Read all the constitution, amendments, laws, statutes, treaties, etc. John McCain is more eligible to become President of Panama. He can be a Senator but not the President.
Sorry.....

[someoneoutsi]

I always heard that the canal zone was a lease and not a territory or a protecterate,when I turned 15 I had to apply for a S.S. card and was born on an air force base in Japan and had to be naturalized and I don''t feel McCain is any better,what would happen to his senate seat if he is shown to not be natural born since he had not been naturalized??

[susanhelit]

Hey, don''t lay this at Democrats feet - they aren''t the ones asking the question. It''s his Republican rivals who want to win at all costs - even if it means ignoring all the Republican primary voters. Democrats - we''re sure he''s a natural born citizen of the United States, and we don''t question whether or not he can run. We just question whether or not he can govern - but that''s another issue.

[memekiller]

Crusherking,

I''d love to see the link to Dean''s comments. As for who''s pushing it, do a google blogs search on "McCain Naturalized Citizen" and take a look at who''s posting on this. The liberals sites I read -- the largest ones -- are all laughing at the absurdity. The conservatives are buying into it hook, line and sinker. (A major proponent is Ron Paul).

Atrios, for instance, said something along the lines of, "It never ceases to amaze me what stupidity gets the wingnuts riled up", only not so diplomatic. And that''s pretty much all I''ve read from the left about it.

[voxpopulus]

I don''t like McCain, but if you are enough of an American to fight for the country you should be enough of an American to run it.

[ramos937]

McCain is a fine decent war hero. Now that the subject is out in the open it has to be legally resolved. Personally, I hope he is eligible because he deserves his shot. But if the legal system says he is not, then the GOP convention in NYC would have to determine the GOP candidate.

[missglo]

Legal, ummm. The Plot thickens.

[jescando]

Was panama a state, a territory or just a zone?

Why did the state dept historically not put panama within the rulings of being within the title of US?

Did we have the ability in panama to fully exercise sovereignty or were we just in a treaty where we leased the used for development and future use.

If this area was considered US soil, then would not all parties born their be given US citizenship?

If so why did the 1952 act have to be created.

What is the difference and history of using terms like natural born, vs declared a citizen, or citizen at birth. Are there different abilities, rights, etc given by current, or past laws that have to used in mccains case and do to his age that timing of his birth puts him in a different position than other people?

Given his age and the laws he was born into were before the 1952 act. Would the 1952 act be considered unable to grant rights retroactively since this would be a matter of an ex post facto law. What then would this mean to McCain case and any other future statutes with acclaimed retroactivity for citizenship?

Why did the 1940''s act remove citizenship for children born from american military parents and required the 1945 act to correct. This happened after McCains birth. What affect does this interpretation and other fair harbor and equal protections not granted to these party impart to limit mccain?

If McCain was born in 1936 how would the 1934, 1940 1945 discussions effect his citizenship.

[crusherking]

Samael,
You clearly have naturalized and natural born confused at least where it pertains to the McCain issue. Noone is claiming he is naturalized. Certainly if he were naturalized it would prohibit him from becoming President. He was born to parents serving in the military overseas on a military base. Technically, a military base is US soil. This is just a stupid Demodummy red herring to try and make McCain seem less ''American'' so that they can chip away at his war hero status. It doesn''t even have a slim chance of doing anything but show how stupid Howard Dean(YEEEEHAAAAWWW) really is. Non issue from start to finish.

How dumb can people be, his father a US Admiral was stationed in Panama. The law is well established that children of Active duty servicemen are natural born Americans no matter where they are born in the world!

Dumb...

[crusherking]

Memekiller
I hate to inform you about how wrong you are BUT.. This is a Howard Dean initiated tactic. Again, He clearly discussed this issue months ago. You may not clearly see his fingerprints on it but I assure you they are there. There was actually a news article about it and it was mentioned on the radio a couple of times.

[samael2014]

"I am confident that the United States Supreme Court, should it ever address the issue, would agree" that McCain qualifies as a natural-born citizen, Olson said in a statement.

Of this I have no doubt whatsover, regardless of anything the Constitution has to say or how it says it, considering a less conservative court decided a national election in favor of a Republican presidential candidate who lost the popular vote.

[samael2014]

I''m not sure how anybody can claim this to be a non-issue. It''s pretty clear that if someone is born in a U.S. territory, like Jamacia for instance, and can claim "natural born" status, then anyone born in a U.S. territory should be able to run for President. I guess the real question here is how McCain acheived his U.S. citizenship... if he was naturalized, there is absolutely no way he can claim to be a natural born citizen. Naturalization is being given something you were not born with by definition.

However, our Constitution has become pretty much a barely legal document deserving of absolutely no respect these days; so under those circumstances, why not?

[fairandbal]

Oh, that''s right.. as a GOP leader, you blaze in spend millions and (billions if it''s invading a country) of dollars.. THEN think of LITTLE details such as ''was it legal'' and other minor details.

[fairandbal]

ummm, Mr. McCain... shouldn''t this have been taken care of BEFORE You thought of running for President?

[memekiller]

Crusherking,
The libs think this is a non-issue, and are laughing hysterically about it. I''m afraid this conspiracy theory is floated from your neighborhood, the same way Obama''s lack of patriotism or Muslim ties are floated. Now that it''s against one of your own, you can recognize the tactic.

Normally, I''d be outraged that such rediculousness has gotten a mainstream forum, if it weren''t for the fact that for once this doesn''t hurt us. So might as well just sit back and enjoy the inter-party turmoil of the GOP''s disarray.

Got to hand it to them, as the assertions that McCain was a Manchurian candidate and fathered an illigitimate black daughter have shown, at least the smear artists are consistent in their disinformation, even if they have to violate Reagan''s 11th Commandment to pursue their self-interests.

I''m not going to shed any tears over watching the tactics usually reserved for Dems getting used on the GOP''s own. But you should at least know who the perpetrator is. The libs have been laughing at this myth for weeks.

[crusherking]

This is such a non issue. Its obvious that this will go nowhere. And for those of you who have not heard, about 2 months ago Howard Dean, yes the DNC chairman, had already said he was going to have the issue examined by the courts. What better place and California, where all libs go to when, or just before, they die. They know they can''t beat McCain on substance so they try to use the courts, yet again. Pretty shameful!