Is McCain even eligible to be President?

[ullad]

http://snopes.com/politics/mccain/citizen.asp

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

1. According to your post he seems to be.

[deadmessengers]

2. Yes.

This was bullshit when it first came up, and it's bullshit now.

[ddeclue]

3. Yes - his father was an American.

Like me, John McCain was born overseas to a member of the U.S. military.

However like me he is also a citizen by birth by virtue of having at least one American parent.

Therefore it doesn't really matter where he was born.

Doug D.
Born Heidelberg Germany, 11th US Army Hospital.

[RB TexLa]

5. citizen by birth and natural born citizen may or may not be the same thing

it's never really been determined.

[ullad]

7. According to Snopes, that is questionable.

[RB TexLa]

11. The big thing would be the who, when and where of such a legal challenge.

Couldn't be at the state level because you are voting for electors, not McCain or Obama. There is also no restriction that I know of on who electors may vote for. I don't think there is anything that prevents them from casting a vote for someone not eligible to be president. I think it would only be a valid challenge if and when someone actually won either the electoral college vote for or a house vote for president. At that point I think any citizen would have the standing to challenge the qualifications and ask the supreme court to prevent the president elect from taking office. If successful the person elected vice president would be sworn in and then ascend to the office of president.

[ddeclue]

8. They are the same thing.

A natural born citizen is one who is BORN as a citizen. If you are a citizen by birth ergo you are born as a citizen and thus are a natural born citizen.

This is a ridiculous post.

[RB TexLa]

12. Legally that has never been set. It is not ridiculous.

[ullad]

6. Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

[ddeclue]

9. Ein bissen aber meine Deustch is nicht zo goot as meine Spanisch

..apologies for spelling.. haven't lived there since 1980.

I'm much better with Spanish and have much more opportunity to practice it here in FL.

Doug D.

[opihimoimoi]

4. Most of us citizens over 35 is eligible...is he fit, is he sane, is he for the Nation? Patriotic?

Country First?

Listen to him...its Raw Ambition....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eKwTL8SwbI

[ddeclue]

10. Constitution doesn't say anything about "fit or sane"

just 35 and a natural born citizen.

Doug D.

[opihimoimoi]

18. Leets look for a way to get the BEST instead of just qualified....thats what they do in PGA GOLF

or any other Pro Sport...look for the Best and HIRE THEM if ya can....

many are qualied but few make the grade

[elocs]

13. This is an old story that was discussed here at DU at least last February:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4803913

If it had any merit at all it would have constantly been brought up. It hasn't because it's a non-issue.

[Historic NY]

14. No one has proved he every was and his birth certificate is not from the US.

[anigbrowl]

19. Get a life you sad person.

[HughMoran]

15. No,

Because he's too fucking old.

[crimsonblue]

16. Since the right likes to talk about strict interpretation

when the founding fathers wrote the Constitution, natural born meant strictly Americans born within the USA borders and those otherwise born on American soil (embassies). Citizen by birth does not qualify one to claim natural born citizenship. My dad is a citizen by birth, but since he was born in England, he is not natural born.

[saracat]

17. He was born on a military base. It counts as American soil.

[Shiver]

21. On a base outside of the country

The Panama Canal Zone, to be specific. And the whatchacallit that made this a part of the United States - that made it count as American soil - was enacted a year after Mccain was born, and was not retroactive.

I can't provide any sources for this, however, other than something I heard on Stephanie Miller. The Senate has ruled him eligible, though, and both Barack and Hillary have seen no problem with it.

As far as I'm concerned, he is eligible. We just have make sure he never wins it.


~Shiver

[Frank Cannon]

20. ...

[ColbertWatcher]

22. Yes. He was born on a U.S. military base, that's U.S. land. n/t

[ullad]

25. It is not at all clear cut

If you read the snopes article, there is some dispute whether or not McCain is eligible. There is also a law suit pending challenging his eligibility.

[dems_rightnow]

23. Yes

And frankly, why would we want him gone? He's a weak candidate.

[Realityhack]

24. Yes, and this kind of thing makes us look silly n/t