Sen. Kennedy says Schwarzenegger should be allowed to run for president

[tobius]

The Associated Press
Last Updated 12:03 p.m. PST Sunday, March 21, 2004
WASHINGTON (AP) - Sen. Edward Kennedy believes his niece's husband, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, should be allowed to run for president. Whether he would cross party lines to endorse the him is another matter.....<snip>

http://www.sacbee.com/state_wire/story/8599273p-9527509c.html

But Kennedy stopped short of endorsing the husband of his niece, Maria Shriver.

"I watched him on your show, and I think you would agree Arnold's able, and he's smart, and he's doing a good job out there," Kennedy told host Tim Russert. "And he is married, he is married to one of the most wonderful people, Maria Shriver. And I'm still hopeful that, as things go along, that Maria will have more and more influence on Arnold. That's what I'm keeping my fingers crossed for." ...<snip>

The Austrian-born Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has said the constitutional amendment proposed by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, "sounds really good."

[aquart]

1. Kennedy is wrong.

[SemperEadem]

63. what the hell is Kennedy thinking?

I'm flexible in a lot of my views, but not this one. The president must be someone born in this country and that never should change. What other country in the world has a foreign born person as president/prime minister/king/queen of that country? Austria sure doesn't. If he's that keen on leading a country, then he should go back to Austria and run for office there.

Let me ask Kennedy: If he was from, oh, say, Iran or Syria or Libya, would he be saying the same thing? No, I didn't think so.

[IndianaGreen]

71. Don't you want someone like Jennifer Granholm to run for Prez?

Or has xenophobia infected the Democratic Party as it has the GOP?

Governor Granholm was born in Canada. Why can't she be VP or Prez candidate someday?



Many Latinos would benefit from the Hatch/Kennedy proposal of allowing naturalized Americans, that have lived in US for 20 year, to become President.

[JohnKleeb]

85. Granholm comes to mind IG but theres others too

Its about time honest. This would benefit latinos, it would have helped many of the earlier immigrants in the past IMO too.

[Classical_Liberal]

93. Granholm wouldn't have a chance even with this law

because she is too liberal for the neoliberals in the dlc. Until their is public financing, I will vote against it just to keep Arnold out.

[bluestateguy]

2. Ahem

I am fully willing to take a nativist position against changing this part of the Constitution to prevent this person from being allowed to run for president.

[roguevalley]

5. finally. Something Teddy and I disagree upon. :)

[R Hickey]

26. Family ties is the reason he said it.

I have to disagree. The only way I would approve of allowing foreigners to become US President, is if this newest Republican deregulation did not take effect for twenty years.

[mrdmk]

3. WTF

These people seem to have their agenda with no regard of the public. This is utter non-sense.

[tobius]

10. who are "these people" ?

senators? kennedys? alcoholics?

[demdave]

4. I don't care if he does have a bar tab....cut him off!!

Once again Kennedy's lack of judgement gets him in trouble.

[OneBlueSky]

6. yup . . . Uncle Teddy's been hittin' the sauce again . . .

either that or he's just getting senile . . . and I doubt that's the case in light of some of his recent speeches . . . so, yeah, cut him off!! . . .

[Chicago Democrat]

8. You know what I think Ted realises Arnold is popular

and so he's advocating this amendment. Plus there is the family connection.

Its impossible to pass this amendment. This is no burning issue. So Kennedy is just playing politics here. Just my hunch.

[yardwork]

51. I agree completely.

This amendment is a non-starter and Kennedy knows it. Meanwhile, it gives him a harmless opportunity to say nice things about Maria's husband. That may come in handy during the campaign in California. Also, it cuts into the Repug's argument that "Massachusetts Liberals" are disconnected from the rest of the country. Ted just became buddies with several million Ahnold-lovers in California!

I say that this is a very smart move on Kennedy's part.

[fearnobush]

7. How about a compromise, You get the native born thing removed,

and we get the electoral college thing removed with President Gore to serve his full term. Deal.

[Art_from_Ark]

34. Now that's an idea!

:bounce:

[Classical_Liberal]

94. Now you on to something, but I would also include

public financing.

[fortyfeetunder]

9. Damn you Teddy

You're so soused you can't see straight. Ah-nold ain't guvnor material and sure as hell ain't Presidential material.

[mobuto]

55. Not funny

You're so soused you can't see straight.

Cut the crap. I wouldn't vote for Arnold Schwarzenegger either, but that kind of personal bullshit is totally unacceptable. What the hell is your problem with Senator Kennedy?

[w4rma]

11. I want my President to have ties to America that are as strong as possible

I don't want to see folks, who have stronger ties to another country, take over our country's government or our country's resources.

This is one aspect of liberalism that the Republican Party can keep as their own, IMHO. I don't see how it helps regular Americans, so I don't see it as progressive.

more information:
Poll: Should foreign-born citizens be eligible to run for President?
Constitutional Amendment to Allow Foreign-Born Citizens to be President

[nodehopper]

46. This sounds like a xenophobic generalization

Arnold as president would be of course, horrible. But who are you to say that naturalized citizens don't have equally strong, or sometimes stronger ties to the US than native-born citizens? Sure, some immigrants don't. And some immigrants are so grateful to be here they love the United States much more than people who were born here do.

[nodehopper]

47. also

What about people who were born somewhere else, and were brought here by families days or weeks after birth? And America is the only country they know or remember? What exactly separates them from the people born on the US soil except circumstance? It's an archaic law, and I agree that it should be changed.

[Fridays Child]

12. I have to wonder if Teddy is purposely poisoning Arnie.

At any rate, his remarks have sent the darksiders into a tailspin:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1102611/posts

[yardwork]

52. LOL! Couldn't be better!

The Freepers probably forgot, but Arnold is a Republican! All Ted had to do is say one mildly nice thing about him, and the Freepers are tossing Ahnuld over board! Gives us a clear idea of their thinking process.

[Vickers]

78. Har! Amazing, they managed to work Clinton into the thread:

Man, that Bill Clinton sure scares the bejeebus outta them dirt farmers.

"And when the issue gets to a vote, it will, surprise,
surprise, also modify or repeal the 22nd Amendment.
This isn't about letting Ahnold be POTUS.
It's about letting Slick Willie be POTUS again."

WATCH OUT FOR THE BIG DAWG!!!

[flaminbats]

13. maybe Teddy should help write the amendment...

then it would abolish the Selectoral College, enact IRV, make Election Day a National Holiday, allow only publicly financed campaigns, and allow immigrants to run for President. ;)

[Beam Me Up]

30. I'd vote for THAT--If they also included--

an Article that stipulated that nominees for President would also have to PUBLICLY disavow any previous membership in "secret societies" "clubs" "fraternaties" and or "political parties" other than the one under which they are running. Or something like that. Good bye Nazis and Scull and Fucking Bones!

[Layman]

54. And More!

Make it an election weekend, from Friday evening to Monday morning. And not in some godawful month like November but in the summer time when the living is easy and there's no snow or ice or bad weather stopping people from exercising their constitional right in throwing the bums out.

[neoteric lefty]

14. I think you all may be exaggerating his position

I watched MTP today and saw Kennedy's remarks. He said he thought that the requirement of born citizenship was out of date. Here is the actual transcript:

MR. RUSSERT: Will you support such legislation?

SEN. KENNEDY: I would.

MR. RUSSERT: To allow a naturalized citizen...

SEN. KENNEDY: Because I think that most American historians believe that that's probably an anachronism in any event due to the time, and I would.

MR. RUSSERT: Is that one Republican you'd support for president?

SEN. KENNEDY: Oh, I don't believe--listen, I admire--he did very well. I watched him on your show and I think you'd agree Arnold's able and he's smart and he's doing a good job out there. But he--and he's married, he's married to one of the most wonderful people, Maria Shriver. And I'm still hopeful that, as things go along, that Maria will have more and more influence on Arnold. That's what I'm keeping my fingers crossed for.

END TRANSCRIPT

I think he was trying to be polite and not stir up and hornets in the family. I don't think he was speaking about anything close to supporting Arnold for president.

[Zhade]

16. Good God, what the HELL is Kennedy talking about?

"...Arnold's able and he's smart and he's doing a good job out there."

Able? Smart? DOING A GOOD JOB?

Ted, from where I sit, here in Los Angeles county, wondering where our $9,000,000,000 - that's billion with a 'b', Ted - refund from Enron's rape and pillage went, the pro-Nazi, Ken Lay-friendly, Rove-advised sexual predator of a Governor-select is most assuredly NOT. DOING. A. GOOD. JOB!

I want whatever Ted is smoking, because daayyyyyummm, he's trippin' out of his gourd.

[Sugarbleus]

24. I think you're right, NL

Objectively speaking, foreign born, naturalized, long time citizens should be allowed to run for offices. Just not Arnie (lol)

I can think of a few foreign born people who would be fine, trustworthy candidates. Maddie Albright for one.

[Syrinx]

15. I disagree with Teddy

But I'm surprised at the level of anger against him here. I thought he was a pretty popular figure in Democratic land. I think he's a great Senator, but I think the job of President should go to a native-born American... call me old-fashioned if you want.

[Tom Kitten]

17. Relax...

I just think he's just speaking out loud trying to shake things up...It would take a Constitutional amendment to allow foreign born Americans to run for President and I don't think he exactly has proposed that here...As far as singling out Arnold, who knows? He's like his nephew-in-law, plus is pretty popular, so why attack him? After all, i'm sure the Republicans aren't the only ones who read Machiavelli!

[Norbert]

18. This means Mich. Gov. Jean Carnahan could run too.

This would be a silver lining in this legislation. That said I am still not too crazy about the idea.

[Voltaire99]

20. And Roberto Benigni!

If we must have a damn ferr'ner, can't it be someone with a sense of humor?

[Spirochete]

22. Jennifer Granholm

is the governor of Michigan. A lot of the freeps think she's the reason Kennedy said what he did.

[JNelson6563]

42. Bing it! Jen will kick his ass!

And it would be a laugh riot to watch!

Julie-proud supporter of Governor Granholm

[Norbert]

82. You're right. I meant Granholm

[Art_from_Ark]

36. Um, Jean Carnahan was the Senator from Missosuri

who took over when her husband, Mel, was elected posthumously :hi:

[dudeness]

19. ROTFLMFAO

..

[neoteric lefty]

21. Arnold will never get past the primaries

as long as the Republican party is directed by the fundie Christians.

[cleofus1]

23. my guess is

He's just saying this cause he knows it will never happen.

[HereSince1628]

25. Globalization meets US Constitution...

How can the empire exploit global leadership talent if we exclude foreign borns?

Maybe this is a DARPA project to inject American leadership with "Warrior Genes" Bush doesn't have the testosterone but Conan the Destroyer has the right stuff!

[0007]

27. I think Eric Cartman should be able to run for president

[cleofus1]

31. damn right!

The Raspberries rule! Go All The Way...BABY!

[CrownPrinceBandar]

56. Ummm...that's Eric Carmen you're talking about...

Eric Cartman is on "South Park."

Cartman:


Carmen:
http://www.lyrics.com/c/carmen,_eric/eric.carmen.jpg

edit: added pics.

[cleofus1]

86. doh!

Eric Cartman? Who the hell is Eric Cartman? I don't know no stinking Eric Cartman!

[nodehopper]

48. Eric Cartman IS already President. "Whatevah. I do what I want."

[PROGRESSIVE1]

28. This is why Nader becomes a factor. When "Real Democrats" don't do.....

their job. :wtf: is this???

From Ted Kennedy of all people!!!!!! :puke:

A great dissappointment indeed. Maybe this is why people don't vote.

[robcon]

29. Ted is right.

Foreign-born citizens should have the same rights as native-born Americans.

[leesa]

Why not, it appears most of our government is owned by foreign

interests anyway.

He's dead wrong about Arnie though. Armnie is nothing more than a Bush Crime Family lackey and evidence exists that he was participating in energy meetings with Kenny Boy during the energy scam in California. Just another GOP criminal.

[chenGOD]

32. I think you guys should outsource the Presidency.

After all, outsourcing is good for the country isn't it?

:eyes:

[Vladimir]

33. The first time was a tragedy

the second time would be a farce.

V

[snippy]

35. I dislike Arnold, but I think the democrats should use him against Bush.

Democrats should ask Bush why he can't be more like Arnold, who is a uniter not a divider like Bush. Democrats should ask Bush to be fiscally responsible but relatively moderate on social issues like Arnold.

This would drive the Reich wing fundamentalists ballistically apeshit, frothing at the mouth and bleeding from every other orifice with uncontrollable hatred and intolerance.

This might force Bush and the republican party to either approve or disapprove of Arnold's "moderate" views on social issues. If Bush and the party choose to side with Arnold, the Reich wing fundamentalists might become demoralized. If Bush and the party choose to side with the Reich wing fundamentalists, millions of decent Americans might be disgusted enough to reject the republican party. Maybe even Arnold would switch parties.

[Art_from_Ark]

38. Arnold switching parties-- ain't gonna happen

Arnold owes his governorship to these people. He's not going to rock their boat.

[snippy]

39. Probably not, but Arnold illustrates the uneasy alliance in the

republican base. I think democrats should exploit Arnold to divide that base. Part of that exploitation would be asking republicans like Arnold to become democrats. If the republican party consisted only of Reich wing fundamentalists, I think republicans would lose many elections this fall, including the presidential election.

[TrueStory]

37. Germany once had a president born in Austria

and things didn't go very well.

[stepnw1f]

40. WTF???

No more actors... We already had one. Politicians are bad enough.

[Walt Starr]

41. Fuck Kennedy

No foreign presidents, EVER!!!

I will not budge on this stance.

[nodehopper]

49. good that you are so open-minded!

I guess if it came down to second term of Bush and someone intelligent with good leadership skills and foreign-born, we know where your vote would go.

[Walt Starr]

58. If iut were Bush vs. a foreign born, it's a no-brainer

I'd go for Bush.

[nodehopper]

83. well, I guess "no-brainer" is appropriate in case of Bush.

Too bad about your xenophobia and your unwillingness to have an open mind.

[JohnKleeb]

84. why is that?

IMO some foreign born US citizens are some of the most inteligent people out there. I dont think Arnold would be a good pres that said, I would trust a foreign born politican such as Rep Jose Serrano of the Bronx, New York or Governor Jennifer Granhom of Michigan rather than Bush. I think Arnold would be a horrible pres, and Ted is wrong on that but I really dont have any problems with the idea to allow foreign borns to run for pres, they can run for the senate and the house, pres should be open too. I dont know why you would prefer Bush to a foreign born.

[shanti]

43. oh that is sneaky!

ted, you are SOOOO wrong about ahnold the gropenator! butt out of california politics - you don't know a damn thing about what's really going on!

[nodehopper]

50. Have people even seen MTP? He wasn't endorsing A.S. at all!

[DemonFighterLives]

44. It would be a shame to waste a good foreign talent

If one came along the "we couldn't resist". Mentioning this in the same sentence with "arnold"> :crazy: :puke:

[Barkley]

45. Can Immigrants run for Prime Minister of Austria?

The issue distracts attention away from the economic conditions of
California as well as Arnold's performance.

[rocktivity]

53. What are his qualifications?

:headbang:
rocknation

[peterh]

57. Uhhh Ted…circle file that thought…

There’s much more pressing issues to be concern about than the eligibility of a two-bit actor…..

[struggle4progress]

59. Non-issue

With 250,000,000 in the country, each expected to meet the eligibility requirements in about 12 election cycles, anybody has about a 1:20,000,000 chance of being President once. Wow! If this amendment passed, it would be a big almost-nothing for naturalized citizens. It's a cover for GOP anti-immigration organizing (exactly the same way that the current attempt by anti-immigration outsiders to take over the Sierra Club will, if successful, be used by *&co to sell naturalized citizens on the idea that that "liberals are against you"). If you want to see how GOP views foreign-born, look at what *&bro did with the haiti blockade.

[Guaranteed]

60. What the hell, Ted?

Shut the fuck up. You've been doing great- just shut up.

[tom_paine]

61. Totalitarians always use free people's love of freedom against them

Kennedy, ideally might be right (I personally disagree), but the Busheviks are interested in nothing else than gaining access to the Imperial Throne for a foriegn-born Austrian and admirerer of Hitler.

They need a liar with better skills at lying and more ability to distract the Imperial Subjects of Amerika.

Gropenfuhrer OrangeHair would give them that.

This cannot be allowed to pass.

[EV1Ltimm]

62. he wants a kennedy back in the white house...

granted, it's stretching, but i'm sure he's just being supportive of a family member.

[nolabels]

73. I love that billboard :D

But are you really EV1L (or was that a typo?) :evilgrin:

[KamaAina]

64. Ahh-nuld is not just a naturalized citizen. He's a *dual citizen*.

He has NOT renounced his Austrian citzenship.

http://www.onlinejournal.com/blog/2003_08_01_archive.html (scroll down)

Arnold Schwarzenegger is an Austrian citizen. The leading Republican candidate to replace California Gov. Gray Davis should Davis be recalled on October 7 holds dual Austrian-United States citizenship. The San Francisco Chronicle reported on August 18 that the bodybuilder engaged in the exercise of political string pulling to maintain his Austrian citizenship after becoming an American citizen. Austria generally does not allow dual citizenship, but Joseph Krainer, former governor of Styria, Schwarzeneggers home province, helped the celebrity retain his status as an Austrian.

"We would have been idiots if we had denied Schwarzenegger's express wish at the time to be allowed to keep his Austrian citizenship," the Chronicle quoted Krainer as saying, "After all, today Arnold is the best known Austrian in the world."

Dual citizenship may be fine for the average Tom, Dick, or Arnold. But shouldn't a governor of California owe his allegiance to only one country, ours?

Shouldn't a President of the United States owe his allegiance to only one country, ours?

Hey, there you go! We could propose an amendment that allows naturalized citizens (e.g. Granholm) to be President, but excludes dual citizens (i.e. Herr Gropenfuhrer).

[ian]

68. Isn't dual citizenship officially illegal in the US?

I thought it was, am I wrong?

[info being]

69. Nope.

[Art_from_Ark]

72. Dual citizenship

A child born to one American parent and one non-American parent is usually a dual citizen at birth. Some countries, like Canada, allow their citizens to remain dual citizens throughout their life. Other countries, like Japan, require dual citizens to declare citizenship for only one country upon reaching the age of majority (which is 20 in the case of Japan).

The US recognizes dual citizenship of adults in some cases, but I don't know if it applies to all nationalities or all cases for the same nationality. It used to be that an American dual-citizen had to declare citizenship at 18. When I went to Canada, I learned that an adult could be a citizen of both Canada and the US if that was the case at birth. Recently, it appears that American law no longer requires children born to one Japanese and one American parent to declare their citizenship at adulthood, but the Japanese government still does not allow dual citizenship for adults.

[qb]

65. Maybe...

Teddy's taking a calculated hit from Democratic loyalists in order to convince California celebriphiles that New England liberals aren't so bad. It won't affect Ted's re-election and it won't hurt Kerry either. I agree that it won't pass anyway.

[Zolok]

66. I suspect EMK has some devious cunning scheme

to get Arnie to switch sides...and no doubt the current election plays into his calculations.
That having been said, I am unalterably opposed to changing the constitution to suit Arnold's ambitions or anyone elses.
Ah'm agin' it!

I go into further detail hyar:
www.chimesatmidnight.blogspot.com

[ian]

67. &%$# That, Maria should run for President

On the Democratic ticket...

[iamjoy]

77. You Got It!

Go Maria!

Or for that matter, Caroline.

[Snellius]

70. Teddy just gave Arnold the wing-nut kiss of death

Nothing will end Arnold's political career in the Republican Party faster than an endorsement from Teddy Kennedy. Who says Arnold will run as a Republican? Even heard Arnold on Stern's show this morning coming to the shock jock's defense against the neopuritans in the White House.

[The Sushi Bandit]

74. THE GROPE-INATOR? NO FRICKING WAY!

STICK TO THE CONSTUITUTION!!

[Name removed]

75. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Democat]

76. Has Jennifer Granholm commented on this proposal?

The right wingers might be walking into a trap.

[metisnation]

79. this would open the door for Democrats

way more than the GOP.

[Matilda]

80. I think it's a case of Kennedy's sticking together.

That's how they were brought up. I can't comment on the citizenship
point, not being American, but I think Kennedy is just saying what
he thinks is the right thing. His comment that he hopes "Maria will
have more and more influence on Arnold" is pure pie -in-the-sky.
Arnold's going to take notice of his wife's opinion? Do I see pigs
flying?

[dolstein]

91. Or maybe he simply isn't a xenophobic bigot

Ever consider that possibility?

[osaMABUSh]

81. It's a non-issue - Teddy threw them a bone

Ted figures why make an issue of it? Let it go.

[9215]

87. Hell yea, if he runs for THIS

election. Think Ross Perot in 92'.

[annak110]

88. Maria Shriver's daddy, Sergent (Kennedy's brother-in-law)

ran for President in 1972. He was said to be Opus Dei (speaking of PNAC).
Wonder how different she really is?

[RedCloud]

89. They need more offspring!

If María can convert her kids back to the Democrats, the Kennedys will have found the biological answer to their family's history of assassinations: bullet proof terminators!

I know I shouldn't jest about that tragic past but what other reason do they have for jumping political ships?

[dolstein]

90. I, for one, oppose discrimination against foreign-born citizens

A native born U.S. citizen who has spent nearly their entire life living abroad is eligible to run for president, whereas a citizen whose family immigrated to the U.S. when they were six months old and who has spent their entire life in the U.S. cannot. It doesn't matter how capable they are. It doesn't matter if they've served in the Congress, in the cabinet, or as a governor. They are permanently barred from serving as president because they aren't native born. That is discrimination, pure and simple. Would DU'ers tolerate a constitutional ban on women serving as president? On African Americans serving as president? On homosexuals serving as president? I don't think so. Yet many around here don't seem to have a problem with the ban on foreign born citizens serving as president. Now it's a free country. You are free to embrace this kind of discrimination if you want to. But just don't call yourself a liberal.

[Zerex71]

92. Is this what we want?

Will the US finally become satisfied when it has the supposed image of what they want in a President (e.g. "tough guy")? If he ever, God forbid, gets to that point, will the country finally be happy, that they can put a two-bit action hero in a suit and pretend he's worthy of the job?

If that day comes, I'm moving to another country, one that hasn't completely lost its mind.

[ZR2]

95. Is there a country left

that hasn't completely lost it's mind ?