McCain’s Extra-Territorial Birth Raises Questions About Ability to Become President
The all-but certain nomination of John McCain to be the Republican candidate for president has again raised a question nagging the Arizona senator: does his birth outside the United States prevent him from holding the nation’s highest office?
McCain, part of a storied naval family and a Vietnam War hero in his own right, was born in 1936 on a military installation in the Panama Canal Zone. The issue of his birthplace raises the question of whether it qualifies as a foreign birth and therefore violates the constitutional requirement that a commander in chief be a “natural-born citizen.”
“I have absolutely no concern about that. An American born in a territory of the United States, whose father is serving in the military, (that) could not be eligible for the presidency of the United States is certainly not something our founding fathers envisioned,” McCain said aboard his plane Thursday, noting that 1964 GOP nominee Barry Goldwater was born in Arizona while it was still a territory.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham told The New York Times that it would be unthinkable for McCain — or anyone born on a military installation — not to be allowed to run for president.
“[McCain's father] was posted there on orders from the United States government,” Graham told the Times. “If that becomes a problem, we need to tell every military family that your kid can’t be president if they take an overseas assignment.
Click here to read more at NYTimes.com.
FOX News’ Mosheh Oinounou contributed to this report.
I don’t care if he was born in Panama or D.C., he’s going to be a terrible president. He consistently violates the Constitution by supporting bills that undermine it. In my book that makes him a traitor to this country and he should not only be disqualified from running, but stripped of his office as well as every other Congressman and Senator who has done likewise. Furthermore they should have to face legal repercussions for betraying their oath of office and the trust of the American people. How’s that for straight talk?
The Constitution was specifically designed to put checks in place to thwart tyranny. To undermine it is to invite tyranny. A vote for McCain is a vote to invite tyranny. Personally, I think this country deserves better than that. Give me the Constitution or give me death!
I do not care where John McCain was born. However, I do have concerns regarding John McCain’s Prisoner of War Status for five and a half years. That amount of time is more than enough to create a Manchurian Candidate. Seeing what we are able to do with Prisoners of War, I know the Chinese were helping the North Vietnamese manage the Prisoners of War at the Hanoi Hilton. McCain is so “robot-like” when answering questions and debating other candidates. This will remain a concern for me until someone recommends testing for Senator McCain.
The NYT’s is A rag Paper!
Having been a military wife who had two children born overseas…in Germany…at a U.S. Army Hospital on a Post, it has always been our understanding that this was U.S. soil for purposes of citizenship.
Mr. Blakenship,
You got it wrong JFK was born in Mass. Not Germany, throw stones if you know the facts.
Even if Obama was born in Hawaii before 1959, he would still be allowed to hold the office because Hawaii was an American territory BEFORE then.
My personal thought, blame the NY Times if you want, but it seems there could be something behind the Conservative movement since they aren’t so warm to McCain. Something could be there. Don’t know for sure but there could be…..
Anybody that votes republican needs there head examined!
If McCain even had a chance at winning the election, it would be fitting that a man who intends to stray from what is good about this nation be in direct conflict with the Constitution by virtue of his holding office.
Don’t tell me, nor any American that the law and the Constitution do not matter. It is all we have left. McCain should have stepped down long ago for his lack of moral authority; now we will see if he respects the Constitution at all. If he lacks legal authority, then he has no credibility at all. The best thing McCain could do for himself and this nation is to set the example, and choose to abide by the Constitution. He can serve in other ways — unless service is not his motive.
McCain is all about himself. It is time for someone like Romney to step up to the job. The Constitution still matters to those of us who know and understand history. If we trash it, we won’t get a second chance.
The Times is once again trying to get anything they can on a “conservative”, as Senator Graham said it was a US territory and his dad was there by order of the US government. I guess the Times only considers itself beyond reproach. Which, as we all know, is a big laugh.
The Editors at the Times had better learn to read. Start with reading the Constitution of the United States. If you don’t have time, read Article II. Natural citizenship is defined there as well as in other acts of Congress.
The question is ridiculous and is an affront to anyone who serves this country. Only a malicious person would try to come up with a “technicality” such as this!