Did you know that you didn't have to be born in the U.S. to run for president?

[The Backlash Cometh]

Put this one under, "All those lies they taught me in my formative years."

You can actually be born on foreign land and still be eligible to run for president. I don't know all the rules, if there are any (I think they're making it up as they go along), but I know John McCain is an illustrious example of the exception:

"John Sidney McCain III (born August 29, 1936) is an American politician. An influential Republican, McCain is currently the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona.

Born in Coco Solo in the American-controlled Panama Canal Zone, the son and grandson of United States Navy Admirals, McCain was educated at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia and the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCain

And:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States

[Frank Cannon]

I thought you just had to be a natural-born citizen

whether you were born in the U.S. or outside the country to American parents, as McCain was.

[uberllama42]

1. Apparently, if you are born anywhere in the world

to U.S. parents, you are a "natural-born" U.S. citizen and therefore eligible to serve as president so long as you have resided in the U.S. for 14 years and are at least 35 years of age.

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. That's probably the best summary.

I absolutely missed the nuance. Or more to the point, it was never stressed. I should know because I was born similar to John McCain's circumstances, except that one parent didn't become a U.S. citizen for decades, and I was always used as an example of someone who could never run for president.

[uberllama42]

7. Yeah I have a friend who gets that a lot

Her parents brought her here from Russia some time after the fall of the Soviet Union. She's completely loyal to the U.S. and extremely competent; with 20 years of experience in public service I think she'd make an excellent President. But alas, her parents are not citizens, so she is deemed unworthy.

[melm00se]

27. not "unworthy"

just not legally eligible...there is a difference.

[TexasProgresive]

2. My grandfather was born in France but was considered a

native born American citizen because his father was in the US diplomatic service. He lived and died with dual native born citizenship of France and the United States. It is likely that the same thing is true of McCain and not what you think.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. I think it's pretty definite that McCain qualifies.

I'm just surprised that I didn't pick up on this nuance for, oh, all of my life. I think adults repeat what they hear and sometimes don't delve into the fine details, and that's how broad statements create misunderstandings.

That's why we have lawyers?

[uberllama42]

9. Well the Constitution says, quite explicity, "natrual-born citizen"

or a resident of the U.S. at the time the Constitution was ratified, which includes the first six presidents. I think the confusion stems from the definition of "natual-born". We all just assumed that it meant "born in the U.S." not "born anywhere in the world to two U.S. citizens".

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. I think in the days of the buggy and train, that "natural-born citizen"

did imply that they had to be born on U.S. soil. At some point, with the advent of travel, and especially with our military presence around the war, that all changed. Even Wiki suggests that it's an on-going debate:

"There is currently debate concerning the definition of natural born citizen. The main focus of this debate is whether or not children born to Americans overseas be considered eligible for the Presidency."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States

[izzie]

3. There are plots of land that are classed as USA all over the world

We leased the Canal Zone at one time. If you recall Iran took over US land/building at one time. I believe if you were born in such places you are in fact born on US land. FDR son could not be President as he was born in Can. at a home used for vacation.

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. I'll have to read the law a little closer.

Do both parents have to be American citizens at the time of birth, for instance?

[mcscajun]

11. Only one must be a US Citizen, according to current statute.

http://travel.state.gov/family/family_issues/birth/birth_593.html

The birth of a child abroad to U.S. citizen parent(s) should be reported as soon as possible to the nearest American consular office for the purpose of establishing an official record of the child’s claim to U.S. citizenship at birth. The official record is in the form of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America. This document, referred to as the Consular Report of Birth or FS-240, is considered a basic United States citizenship document. An original FS-240 is furnished to the parent(s) at the time the registration is approved

REPORTING THE BIRTH

A Consular Report of Birth can be prepared only at an American consular office overseas while the child is under the age of 18. Usually, in order to establish the child’s citizenship under the appropriate provisions of U.S. law, the following documents must be submitted:

(1) an official record of the child’s foreign birth;
(2) evidence of the parent(s)’ U.S. citizenship (e.g., a certified birth certificate, current U.S.
passport, or Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship);
(3) evidence of the parents’ marriage, if applicable; and
(4) affidavits of parent(s)’ residence and physical presence in the United States.

In certain cases, it may be necessary to submit additional documents, including affidavits of paternity and support, divorce decrees from prior marriages, or medical reports of blood compatibility. All evidentiary documents should be certified as true copies of the originals by the registrar of the office wherein each document was issued. A service fee of $65 is prescribed under the provisions of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 22.1, item 9, for a Consular Report of Birth.

NOTE: Consular Reports of Birth are not available for persons born in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Panama Canal Zone before October 1, 1979, the Philippines before July 4, 1946, American Samoa, Guam, Swains Island, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or the former U.S. Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands. Birth certificates for those areas, except the Panama Canal Zone, must be obtained from their respective offices of vital statistics. Panama Canal Zone birth certificates should be requested through the Vital Records Section of Passport Services (see address below.) The fees are the same as those for DS-1350.

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. NO WAY!

I'm nearly fifty years old, and I was led to believe my entire life that I didn't qualify.

Hilary, move over, you've got competition!

[mcscajun]

14. But were the proper papers filed? nt

Please say they were. :)

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. I have this document which definitely establishes my US citizenship, however,

the picture is so Gawd-Awful, that, that alone would prevent me from running for office. The t.v. entertainment circuit would have a field day. The only way I could overcome it, however, is if ugly became fashionable, which taking into account the popularity of the Ugly Betty t.v. show, is a possibility.

[mcscajun]

17. Hey, do you think McCain is "good-looking"? I sure don't.

:)

[The Backlash Cometh]

19. LOL!

It's funny how you determine if someone is good looking or not, based on the kind of person they are. Whatever I may have thought of him years ago, he comes across as very sleazy and someone I would never trust, therefore, unattractive.

On the other hand, I just looked up an old photo of Shirley Chisholm and the first thought that crossed my mind when I looked at her 1970s photo is, they don't make them like that anymore. Just beautiful, inside and out.

[izzie]

23. I have always read that in his day Geo. Washington was a looker

That people could not take their eyes off him. He was very tall with red hair and wore a uniform. Please do not tell me that is why he was our first President. I have also read he was a man of some value who his whole life made it his aim to be a better person. Let us hope that is why he was picked.

[pitohui]

24. i always read he had wooden teeth and a wife w. smallpox scars

i wouldn't think an exceptionally handsome man would be married to an exceptionally physically plain woman but who knows

i think to most folks born in the 20th century anybody that ain't got their teeth can't really fall into the category of "looker," it's outside our reality vortex

[dipsydoodle]

8. Plots of land aka

the rest of the world :rofl: apart from which I guess it must also include all US embaasies ?

[ruiner4u]

10. Yupper... Embassies would be considered US soil...

My first girlfriend was born in Tehran...When she told me, I did a :wtf: and she told me her dad was in the marines and her parents were based at the embassy.. She was born there but is considered US natural..

A lucky post script, his tour ended about a year b4 the hostage situation..

[jonnies]

16. I thought

you were a citizen of the country you were born in, just like the illegals coming across the border and giving birth, their kid becomes a US citizen.

[fasttense]

18. My sister and brother were born

in Germany and Chile. My parents were US citizens and my sister and brother hold dual citizenship. They hold citizenship in the country they were born in and in the US. I understand that the US does not recognize dual citizenship.

[The Backlash Cometh]

20. Netanyahu has dual citizenship.

So do all my cousins who were born to an American parent, even though they were born on foreign soil.

[slater71]

22. You are right.

My son was born in Spain. He has a duel citizenship with two birth certificates.

[earthlover]

21. Key words are....

"Born in Coco Solo in the American-controlled Panama Canal Zone"

McCain was born of American citizens in an American contolled territory. This would make a good arguement for natural born. He was not born in any country in the world, but in an American-controlled area, which was not the sovereignty at that time of another country.

[greenbriar]

25. you have to be a natural born citizen

McCains parents were citizens and he was born while his parents were on duty for America

[The Backlash Cometh]

26. So, what are the factors?

Two parents, not one? And the birth must come at a time when the parents are on duty for America? And, apparently, the necessary papers must be signed.

Do you realize that this is not the understanding of what "natural born citizen" use to mean when I was younger? Something changed in the last fifty years.

[melm00se]

28. without digging deeply

into the law, I would assume that "natural born citizen" is one who is born into their US citizenship rather than having to go thru some process of obtaining their US citizenship.

[SoCalDem]

29. Canal Zone WAS the US . My brother was born there

Same for Puerto Rico, Samoa, Guam or ANY US military installation or embassy :)