http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/kovach/080202 John McCain is not a natural born citizen of the United States! He was born in the Panama Canal Zone. There are only three requirements in the Constitution for the office of president. Article II, Section 1, Paragraph 5 requires that a candidate for president must be: a) a natural born citizen of the United States (emphasis added), b) at least 35 years of age, and c) having been a resident of the United States for at least 14 years. By its language, the Constitution â especially the Fourteenth Amendment â makes a distinction between a "citizen" and a "natural born citizen." A more lenient requirement to be only a "citizen," under Article I, Section 3, Paragraph 3, allows McCain to be a senator.
Do you seriously think that if this is true, it's not not already known? Do you seriously think that John McCain would attempt a run at the Presidency knowing that he is not legally able to become President? Yes or no please.
what nonsense. If your parents are US citizens and you are born outside the US you are considered a US citizen as long as your parents lived in the US sometime during the prior 5 years. Now he might be eligable for dual citizenship in Panama but thats another story.
'From 1903 to 1979 the territory was controlled by the United States of America, which had built and financed the canal's construction. From 1979 to 1999 the canal itself was under joint U.S.-Panamanian control. In 1977 the Torrijos-Carter Treaties established the neutrality of the canal. ' Same as someone born to US parents on the foreign military base. That solves it pretty much!
Currently, Title 8 of the U.S. Code fills in those gaps. Section 1401 defines the following as people who are "citizens of the United States at birth:" Anyone born inside the United States Any Indian or Eskimo born in the United States, provided being a citizen of the U.S. does not impair the person's status as a citizen of the tribe Any one born outside the United States, both of whose parents are citizens of the U.S., as long as one parent has lived in the U.S. Any one born outside the United States, if one parent is a citizen and lived in the U.S. for at least one year and the other parent is a U.S. national Any one born in a U.S. possession, if one parent is a citizen and lived in the U.S. for at least one year Any one found in the U.S. under the age of five, whose parentage cannot be determined, as long as proof of non-citizenship is not provided by age 21 Any one born outside the United States, if one parent is an alien and as long as the other parent is a citizen of the U.S. who lived in the U.S. for at least five years (with military and diplomatic service included in this time) A final, historical condition: a person born before 5/24/1934 of an alien father and a U.S. citizen mother who has lived in the U.S. Anyone falling into these categories is considered natural-born, and is eligible to run for President or Vice President. These provisions allow the children of military families to be considered natural-born, for example.
He was born in the Canal Zone because his father, an admiral in the Navy, was stationed there. Unfortunatly that makes him a natural born American and he wont be disqualified from office because of it.
'he wont be disqualified from office because of it.' McCain and Hillary are two CENTERIST type candidates.... something that US needs very much.
This is a story I had not heard about previously, but after reading up on it, I don't think it will turn out to be a bombshell. According to Wikiwedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural-born_citizen), there have been three candidates born outside the US: (Goldwater, Arizona when it was a territory; George Romney, Mexico; and McCain, Canal Zone). The US Constitution is remarkably clear and easy to read, but if there is any doubt about what it says or means, the issue will be decided by the US Supreme Court. What the court decides will be the last word on the subject. What we think counts not one whit. So the question should be: How likely is it that the US Supreme Court will hold John McCain ineligible to be president? Anybody what to place a bet? The issue will go nowhere unless McCain gets elected. If that happens, there is a chance that a lawsuit will be filed. If that happens, there is a slight chance that the Supreme Court will hear the case. If that happens, the ruling will be 9-0 in favor of eligibility. There is no chance of any other outcome.