3 ms·
I'm losing track of how this works, of late. Canadian-born Ted Cruz was able to run for president, with at least one state ruling that he was eligible[1]. Of co
by noarchy 5y ago
I'm losing track of how this works, of late. Canadian-born Ted Cruz was able to run for president, with at least one state ruling that he was eligible[1]. Of course there were the made-up controversies about Barack Obama, which I think can be dismissed. John McCain, meanwhile, seemed to get some kind of clearance from Congress to be able to run, as we was born in the Panama Canal zone[2].
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Cruz#Citizenship https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Cruz#Citizenship
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCain#2008_presidential_campaign https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCain#2008_presidential_...
- paxys 5y agoThe key words are "natural born citizen" aka you are an American citizen the moment you are born. All babies born on American soil automatically qualify, as well as babies born abroad to a US citizen. Ted Cruz and John McCain both fall in the latter category. Interestingly this definition is commonly agreed upon but not written down in the constitution, and the Supreme Court has never taken up this challenge.
- tick_tock_tick 5y agoAnd of course our first few presidents could never have been a "natural born citizen".
- paxys 5y agoFunny that you mention it. The full text is "natural born Citizen or a Citizen of the United States at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution".